Linux is a Johnny-come-lately to this as well. I've been moving system images between AIX servers since before Linux, and before optical media. Write the image to a 4MM or 8MM tape and boot it up. Was doing it even earlier than that but can't remember the tape formats for the life of me. Knowing IBM, that capability has been around a loong time.
I like and use Linux but they are also-rans in this particular discussion.
Agreed. I work with some AIX folk here in the office and am starting to realize some of its capabilities. I understand that it and probably several other *nixes have had this ability for some time.
That's the reason that Linux has had it for a while as well. Linux' goal has always been to be POSIX compliant and that ability is one of the fortunate side effects. :)
Ah, wel if we're going that route... HP-3000 minicomputers running MPE-V would do the same thing on 300BPI tape reels. I really liked the way that a full backup was essentially all you needed to get a system back up and running. Mount the tape, boot, and load your system and go. Took a while, but at least you didn't have to jump through hoops to get things back where you were. Unfortunately, this was the only way to fix really bad disk fragmentation.