-i|-initialize 

This BRBACKUP command option initializes tape volumes.

Input syntax: -i|-initialize [force|show]

Default value: Label checking before initialization.

Use this option to initialize SAP volumes (tapes) or non-SAP volumes. Only tapes of this type can be used for backup with BRBACKUP. See Volume Management.

·        -i: This option can only be used for SAP volumes. It is used mainly to rename volumes. BRBACKUP suggests the volume name specified in volume_backup. Mount the volumes with the appropriate names or other SAP volumes with labels. BRBACKUP checks whether the expiration period has expired. If so, BRBACKUP initializes the volume and assigns it the specified name.

·        -i force: This option is used to initialize new or non-SAP volumes. The expiration period is not checked. It is also possible to initialize SAP volumes with -i force. However, we recommend you to only use this option when necessary, since the expiration period is not checked and the tape_use_count stored in the volume label is reset to one.

For both the above options, you can also use in addition the option -v. The system then initializes the tapes with the names selected in -v.

You receive an error message from BRBACKUP and one of the following cpio messages if you want to start the backup program and want to use a non-initialized tape as a backup medium. Initialize this tape using the option -i force and then repeat the procedure.

The cpio message is platform-dependent and has, for example, the following texts

Operating System	Message
Linux	cpio: Bad header - checksum error. cpio: Not a cpio file.
AIX	Cannot read from the specified input. Out of phase.
HP-UX	Out of phase -- get help. End of volume.
TRU64	Not a cpio archive.
Solaris	cpio: Bad header - checksum error. cpio: Not a cpio file, bad header.
NT	cpio: Read error on file...: No more data on tape. cpio: Bad magic number in archive.

·        -i show: Used to display the volume label information. No initialization is executed: the volume remains unaltered.