Using the dump command

Dump command syntax

Syntax of the dump command

The dump command syntax is as follows:

dump options arguments dump_path

Note
Not all options are mandatory, and some do not have any arguments.

Rules for entering the dump command

The following list describes the rules for entering the dump command:

options can be one option or a list of options. You must list all options together; do not separate the options by commas or spaces.
You can list options in any order.
You must include a backup level and a tape file in the options.
arguments can be one argument or a list of arguments, each of which is associated with an option.
List all arguments in the same order as their corresponding options.
Separate each argument with one or more spaces.
If the argument is a list, use commas to separate the items in the list.
dump_path is the complete path name of the volume, directory, or qtree batch file to be backed up by the dump command.
Always precede the volume name by /vol/ even if the volume is a root volume, because between different levels of backups, you might have changed the root volume.

Example of a simple dump command

The following figure illustrates the dump command syntax:

Dump options

The following table summarizes the meanings of the dump command options. For general recommendations on using them, read Recommendations for performing a backup.

Option	Meaning	For more information, see...
backup level	Level 0 is a full backup; levels 1 through 9 are for incremental backups.	Specifying the backup level and Understanding increment chains
`A`	Do not back up Windows NT ACLs.	Specifying no Windows NT ACLs
`b`	The blocking factor. Argument The number of 1-KB blocks in each write. For a filer, the range is 4 through 64, and the default is 63.	Specifying the blocking factor
`B`	Write the specified number of tape blocks to a tape file before starting a new tape file. Argument The number of tape blocks in a tape file.	Specifying the tape file size
`f`	Specify the tape device for the backup. It is mandatory. Argument At least one tape device name as an argument. Separate additional tape device names with commas.	Specifying the tape device
`l`	Back up only specific files and directories in the dump path. You must use the `n` option when using the `l` option.	Specifying a list of files
`n`	Provide a name for the backup to be recorded in the /etc/dumpdates file. It takes a string as an argument. It is required if you use the `l` option.	Specifying a name for a backup
`Q`	Back up all data in the specified volume that does not reside in a qtree.	Excluding all data in qtrees
`u`	Update the /etc/dumpdates file. You must use this option if you plan to perform incremental backups in the future.	Specifying updates to the /etc/dumpdates file
`X`	Exclude specified files from the backup. It takes a string specifying exclusion prefixes or suffixes as an argument.	Excluding specified files

Using the dump command

Dump command syntax

Syntax of the dump command

Rules for entering the dump command

Example of a simple dump command

Dump options

Argument

Argument

Argument