What happens when you need to access files from an old backup tape that is no longer compatible with your back up system, tape drive or backup software?
The rapidly changing world of IT means that new innovations are constantly replacing the latest technology. With changes to back up regimes, old tapes become redundant despite requests for old files to be restored. Furthermore, data compliance regulations require businesses to retain data for many years, often longer than the availability of the technology used to store it.
Causes of tape failure and data loss
• Corruption – operational error, mishandling of the tape or accidental overwrites caused by inserting or partially formatting the wrong tape.
• Physical damage – broken tapes, dirty drives, expired tapes and damage caused by fire, flood or other natural disaster
• Software upgrades – inability for data on tape to be read by new application or servers
Tape recovery process
• Tape recoveries are performed in dust-free cleanroom environments
• Tapes and tape drives are carefully dismounted, examined and processed
• Proprietary tools can “force” the drive to read around the bad area to recover your data successfully
• Drives are imaged and a copy of the disk is created and transferred to new system