Problem: gbak restricts the size of a single created backup file to 2GB. Prior to InterBase 5.X, InterBase had no utility program available which would allow a backup to be split into several files. This effectively limits the maximum size of a pre InterBase 5.X database. Solution: On many UNIX systems, the devices /dev/stdin and /dev/stdout exist and act as pipes between programs and standard in and standard out respectively. A utility program of the name "split" typically also exists on these systems. If the UNIX system you are using has these devices and the split utility, a work-arround for the 2GB gbak limit exists. For this example, the database name I am using is "test.gdb" and the file size I am using for the splitting of files is 800 MB. (NOTE: they target filesystem must have enough room for all of the files created). In the example, I will restore to a file named "test2.gdb" The general form of the backup command is : gbak -b/dev/stdout | split -b m In the example I use : gbak -b test.gdb /dev/stdout | split -b 800m This will create the files named xaa, xab,xac, . . . (some versions of split allow you to name the target files). The general form of the restore command is : cat . . . | gbak -c /dev/stdin In the example I use : cat xaa xab xac xad | gbak -c /dev/stdin test2.gdb NOTE: While this solution is expected to work, it is not supported. Prior to InterBase 5.X, 2GB is the maximum limit for a database backup file.
Last Modified: 23-OCT-00