cpio: read error: Cannot allocate memory

Hi, I am trying to do a backup over the network with this command: ssh staging "cd /tmp; ls | grep log | tar -c | gzip" | gzip -d > /dev/tape ==> cpio the files on the source server, gzip it for transport over the network, unzip them on the backupserver and send to the tape) IT WORKS WHEN: I unzip it to a file(...| gzip -d > log.cpio) on the backupserver. I can do a cpio -i < log.cpio IT DOES NOT WORK: if I unzip it directly to the tape (...| gzip -d > /dev/tape(this works OK)) and then want to do cpio -i < /dev/tape. It gives the following error: "cpio: read error: Cannot allocate memory" Does somebody know what the reason is? Thanks in advance. Filip