Tape Drive Backup

and archiving backups

- [Surgeon General] FreeComputerConsultant

Whenever anyone asks me when I started getting gray hair I tell them that, coincidentally, it started when our first child was born. But as far as I am concerned, that wasn't the only cause.

Tape drives have, over the years, been the leading source of frustration in my job. While I don't espouse to be an electrical engineer, it just doesn't seem that streaming data to tape should be that much more complicated than other removable media.

But apparently it is.

• Form factor of (internal) drive doesn't quite match up with the computer case
• Problems with (external) drives being recognized and reliable in spite of proper, expensive cabling
• Tape that runs off the end of the spool without anyone (including the software) noticing
• Sssllloooooowww performance
• Successful backups that cannot be restored, even a few minutes later
• Backups that have run successfully for long periods of time suddenly erroring out with no apparent resolution to the problem
• Expensive tape drives
• Expensive tapes
• Expensive software (talking servers here)
• Frequent RMA requests for repair/replacement

(Just making this list brings back bad memories!)

Now in all honesty I will admit that recent years have been better. And sticking with SCSI interface only for tape drive backup certainly helps...although it's hard on the wallet.

And now the server backup program that I have had the best success with (Veritas) has been bought out by Symantec. I don't think there is any product that I still liked after Symantec took it over, raised the price, bloated the program code, and destroyed the free tech support.

Ok, so maybe I'm too hard on tape drive backup

Like I said, it has gotten better, but primarily because it is really only offered for servers! The ATAPI tape drives that gave a lot of trouble just aren't around like they used to be, and they should never be used on servers anyway (IMHO).

Some of my clients want to get rid of the tape backup, in part because the convenient 4mm tapes don't hold all of their data anymore - 36GB, 72GB compressed is the max that will fit and I've seen no indication that there is a newer, larger tape coming out.

I'm trying to get them to stick with tape for one reason:

Tape drive backup is ideal for archive data

• Save a monthly tape for 1 year
• Save a yearly tape forever

IMPORTANT: Mark these tapes not only with the date (and maybe where to find the password), but also with the tape drive model and software (with version) that was used to back it up.

The tape is useless unless you have hardware and software to read it with!

Bottom line: Tape drive backup has its place, but with the exception of archiving it certainly isn't my first choice to make a quick, reliable backup of anything.

Additional Tip: If you are going to use tape for your backup needs, make sure and CLEAN THE DRIVE regularly. Expensive SCSI tape drives many times include a light to indicate cleaning is needed. Otherwise check the manufacturers recommendations for cleaning.

Cleaning may be done with a special kit, cleaning swabs and alcohol, or hopefully with just an inexpensive cleaning tape that can be purchased, used and discarded after a set number of cleanings.