mt(7)

NAME

mt — magnetic tape interface and controls for stape and estape

DESCRIPTION

This entry describes the behavior of HP magnetic tape interfaces and controls. The files /dev/rtape/* refer to specific raw tape drives controlled by the estape driver. The major number of these device special files is dynamically allocated and the minor number does not encode any device specific information.

The files /dev/rmt/* refer to specific raw tape drives controlled by the legacy stape driver, and the behavior of each given unit is specified in the major and minor numbers of the DSF. The legacy driver and DSFs are deprecated and will be removed in a future version of HP-UX.

Naming Conventions

The device special files (referred to as DSFs) for the estape driver have the following naming conventions:

/dev/rtape/tape#_BEST[n][b]

There are four such files (referred to as persistent DSFs) corresponding to each of the four different permutations of the n and b options. These are claimed by the estape driver. See intro(7) for more details on persistent device special file names.

There are two naming conventions for legacy DSFs. The standard (preferred) convention is used on systems that support long file names. An alternate convention is provided for systems limited to short file names. The following standard convention is recommended because it allows for all possible configuration options in the device name and is used by mksf(1M) and insf(1M):

/dev/rmt/c#t#d# [o][z][e ][p][s[#]][w]BEST[C[#]][n][b]

The following alternate naming convention is provided to support systems in which the /dev/rmt directory requires short file names. These DSF names are less descriptive, but guarantee unique device naming and are used by mksf(1M) and insf(1M) where required.

/dev/rmt/c#t#d#[f#|i#][n][b] 

For each tape device present, twelve DSFs are automatically created when the system is installed. If legacy mode is disabled (via the -L option in rmsf), only four DSFs in /dev/rtape will be created post installation. These are claimed by the estape driver.

Four legacy DSFs will be created in the /dev/rmt directory using the following naming convention. These are legacy DSFs and are claimed by the stape driver.

/dev/rmt/c#t#d# BEST [n][b].

Four more legacy DSFs with the format /dev/rmt/#m [n][b] will be automatically created when the system is installed using the pre-HP-UX 10.0 device file naming convention. This includes an arbitrary number to distinguish this tape device from others in the system, followed by the letter m. There are four such DSFs because each of the four different permutations of the n and b options (see below) are created. These files are created for compatability with pre-HP-UX 10.0 scripts and for users who find the old convention easier to remember.

Each of the automatically created DSFs which utilize the standard or alternate naming conventions is linked to a device file which utilizes the pre-HP-UX 10.0 naming convention. That is, the DSFs in the format /dev/rmt/#m [n][b] are created as hardlinks to the corresponding /dev/rmt/c#t#d# BEST [n][b] DSFs mentioned above.

Thus, the DSFs which utilize the pre-HP-UX 10.0 naming convention provide the same functionality as the device files which contain the density specification BEST (standard naming convention).

Options

The options described here are common to all legacy tape drivers. The c#t#d# notation in the legacy DSF name derives from ioscan output and is described in the manpages for ioscan(1M) and intro(7).

c#

Instance number assigned by the operating system to the interface card.

t#

Target address on a remote bus (for example, SCSI address)

d#

Device unit number at the target address (for example, SCSI LUN).

w

Writes wait for physical completion of the operation before returning status. The default behavior (buffered mode or immediate reporting mode) requires the tape device to buffer the data and return immediately with successful status.

density

Density or format used in writing data to tape. This field is designated by the following values:

BEST: Highest-capacity density or format will be used, including data compression, if the device supports compression.
NOMOD: Maintains the density used for data previously written to the tape. Behavior using this option is dependent on the type of device. This option is only supported on DDS drives.
DDS: Selects one of the known DDS formats; can be used to specify DDS1 or DDS2, as required.
DLT: Selects one of the known DLT formats; can be used to specify DLT42500_24, DLT42500_56, DLT62500_64, DLT81633_64, or DLT85937_52, as required.
D[#]: Specifies density as a numeric value to be placed in the SCSI mode select block descriptor. The header file <sys/mtio.h> contains a list of the standard density codes. The numeric value is used only for density codes which cannot be found in this list.

C[#]

Write data in compressed mode, on tape drives that support data compression. If a number is included, use it to specify a compression algorithm specific to the device. Note, compression is also provided when the density field is set to BEST.

n

No rewind on close. Unless this mode is requested, the tape is automatically rewound upon close.

b

Specifies Berkeley-style tape behavior. When the b is absent, the tape drive follows AT&T-style behavior. The details are described in Tape Behavioral Characteristics below.

f#

Specify format (or density) value encoded in the minor number. The meaning of the value is dependent on the type of tape device in use. (Used for short file name notation only.)

i#

Specify an internal Property Table index value maintained by the tape driver, containing an array of configuration options. The contents of this table are not directly accessible. Use the lssf(1M) command to determine which configuration options are invoked. (Used for short file name notation only.)

o

Console message disabled. See mksf(1M).

z

RTE compatible close. See mksf(1M).

e

Exhaustive mode. See DEPENDENCIES section.

p

Tape partition. See DEPENDENCIES section.

s

Fixed-block mode. See DEPENDENCIES section.

#m

For pre-HP-UX 10.x device file naming convention.

Sample Tape Device Special File Names

For a HP Ultrium-2 drive at card instance 1, target 2, LUN 3 the legacy DSFs would be /dev/rmt/c1t2d3BEST[n][b]. The corresponding persistent DSFs assuming an instance number "1" allocated to the DSF would be /dev/rtape/tape1_BEST[n][b]. Corresponding device special files in the pre-HP-UX 10.0 naming convention would be /dev/rmt/0m[n][b]. In this particular example, 0 (zero) in 0m[n][b] denotes an instance number of 0 (zero) assigned to the DSF. The files in the /dev/rmt/#m[n][b] format are created as hardlinks to the corresponding /dev/rmt/c#t#d #BEST [n][b] DSFs.

Use the lssf(1M) command to determine which configuration options are actually used with any device file. The naming convention defined above should indicate the options used, but device files may be created with any user defined name.

Tape Behavioral Characteristics

When opened for reading or writing, the tape is assumed to be positioned as desired.

When a file opened for writing is closed, two consecutive EOF (End of File) marks are written if, and only if, one or more writes to the file have occurred. The tape is rewound unless the no-rewind mode has been specified, in which case the tape is positioned before the second EOF just written.

When a file open for reading (only) is closed and the no-rewind bit is not set, the tape is rewound. If the no-rewind bit is set, the behaviour depends on the style mode. For AT&T-style devices, the tape is positioned after the EOF following the data just read (unless already at BOT or Filemark). For Berkeley-style devices, the tape is not repositioned in any way.

Each read(2) or write(2) call reads or writes the next record on the tape. For writes, the record has the same length as the buffer given (within the limits of the hardware).

During a read, the record size is passed back as the number of bytes read, up to the buffer size specified. Since the minimum read length on a tape device is a complete record (to the next record mark), the number of bytes ignored (for records longer than the buffer size specified) is available in the mt_resid field of the mtget structure via the MTIOCGET call of ioctl(2). Current restrictions require tape device application programs to use 2-byte alignment for buffer locations and I/O sizes. To allow for more stringent future restrictions (4-byte aligned, etc.) and to maximize performance, page alignment is suggested. For example, if the target buffer is contained within a structure, care must be taken that structure elements before the buffer allow the target buffer to begin on an even address. If need be, placing a filler integer before the target buffer will insure its location on a 4-byte boundary.

The ascending hierarchy of tape marks is defined as follows: record mark, filemark (EOF), setmark and EOD (End of Data). Not all devices support all types of tape marks but the positioning within the hierarchy holds true. Each type of mark is typically used to contain one or more of the lesser marks.

When spacing over a number of a particular type of tape mark, hierarchically superior marks (except EOD) do not terminate tape motion and are included in the count. For instance, MTFSR can be used to pass over record marks and filemarks.

Reading an EOF mark is returned as a successful zero-length read; that is, the data count returned is zero and the tape is positioned after the EOF, enabling the next read to return the next record.

DDS devices also support setmarks, which are used to delineate a group (set) of files. Reading a setmark is also returned as a zero-length read. Filemarks, setmarks and EOD can be distinguished by unique bits in the mt_gstat field.

Spacing operations (back or forward space, setmark, file or record) position past the object being spaced to in the direction of motion. For example, back-spacing a file leaves the tape positioned before the file mark; forward-spacing a file leaves the tape positioned after the file mark. This is consistent with standard tape usage.

lseek(2) type seeks on a magnetic tape device are ignored. Instead, the ioctl(2) operations below can be used to position the tape and determine its status.

The header file <sys/mtio.h> has useful information for tape handling.

Macros to Decode Options

The minor number of the device ID (dev_t) of persistent tape device special files no longer encode the tape device options (such as, density, style of access and so on). Hence the macros given below, that are defined in <sys/mtio.h> header file do not interpret the options correctly for persistent (agile) DSFs. The macros are:

M_INSTANCE(dev)          M_TARGET(dev)
M_LUN(dev)               M_BERKELEY(dev)
M_NO_REWIND(dev)         M_USER_CONFIG(dev)
M_INDEX(dev)             M_INDEX_PUT(dev,index)
M_DFLT_DENSITY(dev)      M_DFLT_DENSITY_PUT(dev,density)
M_TRANSPARENT_MODE(dev)  M_PROP_TBL_ACCESS(dev)

These macros continue to work on the legacy DSFs as before.

Applications should use the method described below to decode the tape device options from persistent device files.

libIO(3X) API io_dev_to_options is used to decode the device options from the persistent device files as given below:

#include <libIO.h>
#include <sys/_inttypes.h>
#include <fcntl.h>

Note: libIO calls should be within calls to io_init() and io_end(). Refer to libIO(3X) manpage for more details. Applications have to link with libIO library to access these APIs.

mt_get_newdev_options() and mt_check_newdev_options() are utility functions used by the code snippets below.

uint64_t
mt_get_newdev_options(dev_t dev, int dev_type) {
      uint64_t        options;
      int             err;
      err = io_dev_to_options(dev, dev_type, &options);
      if (err == IO_ERROR)
              return 0;
      return (options);
}

uint64_t
mt_check_newdev_options(dev_t dev, int dev_type, uint64_t bitmask) {
      uint64_t        options;
      int             err;
      err = io_dev_to_options(dev, dev_type, &options);
      if (err == IO_ERROR)
              return 0;
      return (options & bitmask);
}

For example, the macro M_BERKELEY_AGILE given below decodes the device options of both legacy and persistent (agile) DSFs. This macro returns true if the device ID is that of a device special file supporting Berkeley style of access.

Example

File test.c :

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <sys/libIO.h>
#include <sys/_inttypes.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
#include <sys/errno.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <sys/mtio.h>

#define MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV 1

#define M_BERKELEY_AGILE(dev)                                      \
          ((io_is_legacy_dev(dev, D_CHR) == MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV) ?    \
          (dev & MT_BSD_MASK)                              :       \
          (mt_check_newdev_options(dev, D_CHR, MT_BSD_MASK)))

/ *
  * It is assumed that definitions of mt_get_newdev_options() and
  * mt_check_newdev_options() are defined by the application and
  * available. Omitted here for the sake of simplicity.
  */

      int
      main(int argc, char *argv[]) {

            struct stat stbuf;
            dev_t dev;

            /* Device special file is passed as argv[1] */

            if (stat(argv[1], &stbuf) < 0)
            {
                perror("stat(): ");
                exit (1);
            }

            dev = stbuf.st_rdev;

            io_init(O_RDWR);

            if(M_BERKELEY_AGILE(dev))
                printf(" This is a Berkeley style device file ");
            else
                printf(" This is not a Berkeley style device file ");

            io_end();

            exit(0);
      }

Compile Line: cc -Ae -o test test.c -lIO

Sample Output:
# ./test /dev/rtape/tape1_BESTn
This is not a Berkeley style device file
# ./test /dev/rtape/tape1_BESTb
This is a Berkeley style device file
# ./test /dev/rmt/0mnb
This is a Berkeley style device file
# ./test /dev/rmt/c5t4d0BEST
This is not a Berkeley style device file
# ./test /dev/rmt/c5t4d0BESTnb
This is a Berkeley style device file

Macros similar to the one above, can be written in place of their respective legacy macros as follows:

#define M_INSTANCE_AGILE(dev)                                        \
        ((io_is_legacy_dev(dev, D_CHR) == MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV)    ?     \
        (((dev) >> MT_INSTANCE_BIT_POS) & MT_INSTANCE_MASK) :        \
        (((mt_get_newdev_options(dev, D_CHR)) >> MT_INSTANCE_BIT_POS) \
                                                   & MT_INSTANCE_MASK))

#define M_TARGET_AGILE(dev)                                          \
        ((io_is_legacy_dev(dev, D_CHR) == MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV)    ?     \
        (((dev) >> MT_TARGET_BIT_POS) & MT_TARGET_MASK)     :        \
        ((mt_get_newdev_options(dev, D_CHR)) >> MT_TARGET_BIT_POS)   \
                                                  & MT_TARGET_MASK))

#define M_LUN_AGILE(dev)                                             \
        ((io_is_legacy_dev(dev, D_CHR) == MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV)   ?      \
        (((dev) >> MT_LUN_BIT_POS) & MT_LUN_MASK)          :         \
        ((mt_get_newdev_options(dev, D_CHR) >> MT_LUN_BIT_POS)       \
                                               & MT_LUN_MASK))

#define M_USER_CONFIG_AGILE(dev)                                      \
        ((io_is_legacy_dev(dev, D_CHR) == MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV) ?         \
        (dev & MT_USER_CONFIG_MASK)                      :            \
        (mt_check_newdev_options(dev, D_CHR, MT_USER_CONFIG_MASK)))

#define M_INDEX_AGILE(dev)                                            \
        ((io_is_legacy_dev(dev, D_CHR) == MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV) ?         \
        (((dev) & MT_INDEX_MASK) >>  MT_INDEX_BIT_POS)   :            \
        ((mt_check_newdev_options(dev, D_CHR, MT_INDEX_MASK)) >>      \
                                                MT_INDEX_BIT_POS));

#define M_INDEX_PUT_AGILE(dev,index)                                  \
        ((io_is_legacy_dev(dev, D_CHR) == MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV) ?         \
        (((dev) & (~MT_INDEX_MASK))  |                                \
        (index << MT_INDEX_BIT_POS) |                                 \
         MT_USER_CONFIG_MASK)                           :             \
        ((mt_check_newdev_options(dev, D_CHR, ~MT_INDEX_MASK)) |      \
         (index << MT_INDEX_BIT_POS)))

#define M_DFLT_DENSITY_PUT_AGILE(dev,density)                         \
        ((io_is_legacy_dev(dev, D_CHR) == MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV) ?         \
        (((dev) & (~MT_DENSITY_MASK))    |                            \
        (density << MT_DENSITY_BIT_POS))                :             \
        ((mt_check_newdev_options(dev, D_CHR, ~MT_DENSITY_MASK))  |   \
                                   (density << MT_DENSITY_BIT_POS)))

#define M_TRANSPARENT_MODE_AGILE(dev)                                 \
        ((io_is_legacy_dev(dev, D_CHR) == MT_IS_LEGACY_DEV) ?         \
        (((dev) & MT_TRANSPARENT_MASK) ==                             \
                                MT_TRANSPARENT_VAL)      :            \
        ((mt_check_newdev_options(dev, D_CHR, MT_TRANSPARENT_MASK))   \
                                  == MT_TRANSPARENT_VAL))

The following is included from <sys/mtio.h> and describes the possible tape operations:

/* mag tape I/O control requests */

#define  MTIOCTOP  _IOW('m', 1, struct mtop)  /* do mag tape op */
#define  MTIOCGET  _IOR('m', 2, struct mtget) /* get tape status */

/* structure for MTIOCTOP - mag tape op command */

struct mtop {
    short mt_op;         /* operations defined below */
    int32_t mt_count;    /* how many of them */
};

/* operations */

#define MTWEOF 0  /* write filemark (end-of-file record) */
#define MTFSF  1  /* forward space file */
#define MTBSF  2  /* backward space file */
#define MTFSR  3  /* forward space record */
#define MTBSR  4  /* backward space record */
#define MTREW  5  /* rewind */
#define MTOFFL 6  /* rewind and put the drive offline (may eject) */
#define MTNOP  7  /* no operation, may set status */
#define MTEOD  8  /* DDS, QIC and 8MM only - seek to end-of-data */
#define MTWSS  9  /* DDS and 8MM only - write setmark(s) */
#define MTFSS 10  /* DDS and 8MM only - space forward setmark(s) */
#define MTBSS 11  /* DDS and 8MM only - space backward setmark(s) */
#define MTSTARTVOL 12  /* Start a new volume (for ATS) */
#define MTENDVOL 13  /* Terminate a volume (for ATS) */
#define MTRES 14  /* Reserve Device */
#define MTREL 15  /* Release Device */
#define MTERASE 16  /* Erase media */

/* structure for MTIOCGET - mag tape get status command */

struct mtget {
     long       mt_type;     /* type of magtape device */
     long       mt_resid;    /* residual count */

/* The following two registers are device dependent */

     long       mt_dsreg1;    /* status register (msb) */
     long       mt_dsreg2;    /* status register (lsb) */

/* The following are device-independent status words */

     long       mt_gstat;     /* generic status */
     long       mt_erreg;     /* error register */
     int32_t    mt_fileno;    /* No longer used - always set to -1 */
     int32_t    mt_blkno;     /* No longer used - always set to -1 */

Information for decoding the mt_type field can be found in <sys/mtio.h>.

Tape operations work the same way for both legacy and agile devices.

Other Tape Status Characteristics

Efficient use of streaming tape drives with large internal buffers and immediate-reporting require the following end-of-tape procedures:

All writes near LEOT (Logical End of Tape) complete without error if actually written to the tape. Once the tape driver determines that LEOT has been passed, subsequent writes do not occur and an error message is returned.
To write beyond this point (keep in mind that streaming drives have already written well past LEOT), simply ask for status using the MTIOCGET ioctl. If status reflects the EOT condition, the driver drops all write barriers.
Both the estape and stape drivers will flush the device buffers when a write filemark (all devices) or write setmark (devices that support setmarks) command is given with the count set to zero.

When immediate-reporting is disabled, the write encountering LEOT returns an error with the tape driver automatically backing up over that record.

When reading near the end-of-tape, the user is not informed of LEOT. Instead, the typical double EOF marks or a pre-arranged data pattern signals the logical end-of-tape.

Since magnetic tape drives vary in EOT sensing due to differences in the physical placement of sensors, any application (such as multiple-tape cpio(1) backups) requiring that data be continued from the EOT area of one tape to another tape must be restricted. Therefore, the tape drive type and mode should be identical for the creation and reading of the tapes.

The following macros are defined in <sys/mtio.h> for decoding the status field mt_gstat returned from MTIOCGET. For each macro, the input parameter x is the mt_gstat field.

GMT_BOT(x): Returns TRUE at beginning of tape.
GMT_EOD(x): Returns TRUE if End-of-Data is encountered for DDS, QIC or 8MM.
GMT_EOF(x): Returns TRUE at an End-of-File mark.
GMT_EOT(x): Returns TRUE at end of tape.
GMT_IM_REP_EN(x): Returns TRUE if immediate reporting mode is enabled.
GMT_ONLINE(x): Returns TRUE if drive is online.
GMT_SM(x): Returns TRUE if setmark is encountered.
GMT_WR_PROT(x): Returns TRUE if tape is write protected.
GMT_COMPRESS(x): Returns TRUE if data compression is enabled.
GMT_DENSITY(x): Returns the currently configured 8-bit density value. Supported values are defined in <sys/mtio.h>.
GMT_D_800(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 800 bpi.
GMT_D_1600(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 1600 bpi.
GMT_D_6250(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 6250 bpi (with or without compression).
GMT_D_6250c(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 6250 bpi plus compression.
GMT_D_DDS1(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is DDS1 (with or without compression).
GMT_D_DDS1c(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is DDS1 plus compression.
GMT_D_DDS2(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is DDS2 (with or without compression).
GMT_D_DDS2c(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is DDS2 plus compression.
GMT_D_DLT_42500_24(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 42500 bpi, 24 track pairs.
GMT_D_DLT_42500_56(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 42500 bpi, 56 track pairs.
GMT_D_DLT_62500_64(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 62500 bpi (with or without compression).
GMT_D_DLT_62500_64c(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 62500 bpi plus compression.
GMT_D_DLT_81633_64(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 81633 bpi (with or without compression).
GMT_D_DLT_81633_64c(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 81633 bpi plus compression.
GMT_D_DLT_85937_52(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 85937 bpi (with or without compression).
GMT_D_DLT_85937_52c(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is 85937 bpi plus compression.
GMT_D_3480(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is for a 3480 device (with or without compression).
GMT_D_3480c(x): Returns TRUE if the density encoded in mt_gstat is for a 3480 device with compression.
GMT_DR_OPEN(x): Does not apply to any currently supported devices. Always returns FALSE.

HP-UX silently enforces a tape record blocking factor (MAXPHYS) on large I/O requests. For example, a user write request with a length of ten times MAXPHYS will actually reach the media as ten separate records. A subsequent read (with ten times MAXPHYS as a length) will look like a single operation to the user, even though HP-UX has broken it up into ten separate read requests to the driver. The blocking function is transparent to the user during writes. It is also transparent during reads unless:

The user picks an arbitrary read length greater than MAXPHYS.
The user attempts to read a third-party tape containing records larger than MAXPHYS.

Since the value for MAXPHYS is relatively large (usually >= 256K bytes), this is typically not a problem.

The MTNOP operation does not set the device-independent status word.

EXAMPLES

Assuming that fd is a valid file descriptor, the following example writes two consecutive filemarks on the tape:

#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/mtio.h>

struct  mtop mtop;

mtop.mt_op = MTWEOF;
mtop.mt_count = 2;
ioctl(fd, MTIOCTOP, &mtop);

If fd is a valid file descriptor for an open DDS drive, the following example spaces forward to just past the next setmark:

#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/mtio.h>

struct  mtop mtop;

mtop.mt_op = MTFSS;
mtop.mt_count = 1;
ioctl(fd, MTIOCTOP, &mtop);

Given that fd is a valid file descriptor for an opened tape device, and that it has just returned 0 from a read(2) request. The following system call verifies that the tape has just read a filemark:

#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/mtio.h>

struct mtget mtget;

ioctl(fd, MTIOCGET, &mtget);
if (GMT_EOF (mtget.mt_gstat)) {
/* code for filemark detection */
}

WARNINGS

Density specification BEST (standard naming convention) activate data compression on tape devices which support compression. This is also true for the files using the pre-HP-UX 10.0 naming convention which are linked to these files (see "Naming Conventions" above).

For the persistent tape DSFs the minor number does not encode any configuration option. The minor number represents an index into a persistent kernel database where the configuration options are stored.

It is recommended that all legacy tape device files be put in the /dev/rmt directory. Legacy Device files using extended configuration options located outside the /dev/rmt directory may not provide consistent behavior across system reboots.

Although persistent DSFs may be created in directories other than /dev/rtape, HP recommends that persistent tape DSFs only be created in /dev/rtape.

Use the rmsf(1M) command to clean up unused device files. Otherwise, the property table may overflow and cause the mksf(1M) command to fail.

Density codes listed in <sys/mtio.h> have device-dependent behaviors. See the hardware manual for your tape device to find which densities are valid. For some devices, these values may be referred to as formats instead of densities.

Use of unbuffered mode can reduce performance and increase media wear.

DEPENDENCIES

Driver-Specific Options for stape (Major Number 205)

The following options may be used in creating legacy DSFs for tape drives that access the stape driver:

e

Exhaustive mode is enabled (default is disabled).

When exhaustive mode is enabled, the driver will, if necessary, attempt several different configuration options when opening a device. The first attempt follows the minor number configuration exactly, but if that fails, the driver attempts other likely configuration values.

With Exhaustive mode disabled, the driver makes only one attempt to configure a device using the configuration indicated in the minor number.

p

Specifies a partitioned tape whose currently active partition is partition 1 (closest to BOT (beginning of tape)). Optional partition 1 is closest to BOT for possible use as a volume directory. The default partition without this option is partition 0. If partitioning is unsupported, the entire tape is referred to as partition 0.

s[#]

Specifies fixed-block mode; the optional number indicates the block size. If the number is not present, the driver selects a default block size appropriate to the device type.

AUTHOR

mt was developed by HP and the University of California, Berkeley.

FILES

/dev/rtape/*: Persistent tape DSFs claimed by the estape driver
/dev/rmt/*: Legacy tape DSFs
<sys/mtio.h>: Constants and macros for use with tapes
/etc/mtconfig: Configuration property table for tapes
/dev/rmt/*config: Device files for accessing configuration properties table - for internal use only