Subject: Re: A few mt(1) questions
To: Brian A. Seklecki <lavalamp@spiritual-machines.org>
From: None <collver@linuxfreemail.com>
List: netbsd-users
Date: 03/18/2002 05:55:55
> 4) Does it make more sence to use tar(1) to pass through gzip(1) or
> bzip2(1) to do compresstion, or use hardware built-in compression?  Just
> looking for opinions speaking from an experience standpoint.

It depends.  For examples:

	1) software compression will get you better compression

	2) software compression puts more load on your cpu

	3) software compression makes it more difficult to recover
	   data from a tape that has damage/errors

	4) software compression makes it so you can't use GNU tar's
	   feature of multiple-volume sets

	5) if you use hardware compression to back up data that
	   has already been compressed with software, the "compressed"
	   data may take more space than if you were not using hardware
	   compression

Ben