On Mon, Mar 18, 2002 at 05:55:55AM -0800, collver@linuxfreemail.com wrote:
> > 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

	6) if you use software compression you know whether the archive
	   will fit on the tape.

	7) software compression will (probably) let you read the tape
	   one other drives.

	8) hardware compression means you don't have to remember which
	   compression algorithm you chose.

	David

-- 
David Laight: david@l8s.co.uk