Re: [cobalt-users] Tar Size?

[Seth Mos <knuffie@xxxxxxxxx>]

At 11:27 AM 8/21/00 -0700, you wrote:
> On 16 Aug 00, at 20:33, Malcolm McLeary wrote:
>
> > Hi Mike,
> >
> > on 16/8/00 7:13 PM, Mike Fritsch at mfritsch@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >
> > > Does  anyone know if there is a maximum on the size a tar archive should
> > > be?(IE most RaQs go haywire @ 250 sites)
> >
> > Not that I'm a expert in this area but I don't believe its really a
> > problem with tar ... I think its an issue with the maximum file size on
> > the target file system or device.
> >
> > When I was using the built-in backup solution on a Qube2 the backup would
> > never be greater than 2GB ... most likely a Linux filesystem limitation
> > before the file was transferred to an SMB share on an NT Workstation.
> >
>
>
> I did a bit of research on this awhile back.  Please, someone
> correct me if I'm wrong.  Apparently there was a 2GB limit with the
> original 'ext' filesystem.  That's when the current version tar was
> built.  ext2 was supposed to remove that limitation, but tar retained
> that limitation.

Ext2 under linux 2.0.x and 2.2.x has the 2GB file limitation.
Exceptions are:
Ext2 under linux 2.4.x has a rebuild VFS layer that can grow beyond 2GB files
Other filesystems like:
XFS from sgi which is near alpha at ia32/ia64/mips/alpha
Reiserfs is more of a "experimental" fs somewhat beta but currently only on 
ia32.
JFS from IBM (i have to see the first snapshot that can write files on it :-)

> Since then, "BRU" was released and removed that 2GB limitation
> and added a bunch of features.  To get the full version of BRU,
> though, you have to pay for it.

Tar doesn't have that limit to my knowledge. It can create tar files on 8GB 
tape drives so I suppose that's larger then 2GB. The thing is that you 
don't rely on a filessytem for it.



> Sincerely,
> Andrew Kinney
> President, Advantagecom Networks, Inc.
> http://www.advantagecom.net
> 509-522-3696, extension 101
>
>
>
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--
Seth
"Have you gone mad?"
"Well, yes, but that's beyond the scope of this email."