Copying Files and File Systems to Tape

You can use the tar, pax, and cpio commands to copy files and file systems to tape. The command that you choose depends on how much flexibility and precision you require for the copy. Because all three commands use the raw device, you do not need to format or make a file system on tapes before you use them.

The tape drive and device name that you use depend on the hardware configuration for each system. For more information about tape device names, see Choosing Which Media to Use.