Four Basic Backup Steps by Buddy Shearer
"I have this cool backup tape drive in my new computer and a couple of tapes so I am all set!" That is true, you now have a level of protection that a lot of people do not have but are you going to do it right? Change the tapes regularly, replace them when their life runs out, clean the tape... Clean the tape drive at least once per week. ... It never fails, when you absolutely need a backup to be made then that is when it will fail because of a dirty head. ... After all, it is your data on the tape so keep it safe.

Setting up a Tape Backup Strategy for your Business by Linus Chang
So you know a little bit about tape backup, but you're wondering how to set up a tape backup strategy for your business. Well, let's take a look at 3 simple steps to setting up a complete backup solution. Step 1: Purchase your tape backup hardware Firstly, purchase the tape backup hardware. ... If you need to perform file server backup (or Exchange Server backup or SQL Server backup) for small business, then one of the following tape drives should suffice: * Travan cartridge drive (up to 10 Gb) * DDS tape backup drive (up to 20 Gb) * DDS tape backup drive with hardware data compression...

Alternatives to Tape Backup by Linus Chang
You may ask, isn't tape an anachronism in the age of optical disks, removable hard drives and a plethora of whiz-bang, random-access storage media? In many ways it is, but because of the nature of backup it doesn't really matter that tape is slow and sequential-access. ... However, if you have any problems with tape backup, you'll probably be interested to know that there are several alternatives to tape. ... * Backup to REV drive may in fact prove more cost-effective for your business than tape, depending on your backup scheme and other factors.

Can You Restore Data from Your Backup? by Per Strandberg
Many users don't test their backups. This is because they don't take the time or they don't know the steps to take. This means that there is a risk that the restoration of their system will not work nor can they be sure that they are able to retrieve individual files. ... If you use a tape backup as your backup media then there are several things you can do to reduce these risks and make the backup safe. ... If the backup is taken from a server, then the backup administrator should get an email backup error report.

An Introduction to Tape Backup by Linus Chang
If you run a small business, chances are you're saving important files to a server. But what happens when disaster strikes? How are you ensuring that your files won't be lost? Many people fail to realize that the loss of files could cripple their business. ... * Full -- all files, system data * Differential -- all files added or changed since the last full backup * Incremental -- all files added or changed since the last full, differential or incremental backup * Daily -- all files added or changed on the day of the backup A Full backup will copy all files and system data to the...

Preventing Tape Drive Failure by Linus Chang
Contrary to popular belief, tape drives are generally robust and reliable. However, there are three common mistakes that people make that dramatically increase the probability of tape drive failure. Firstly, it is not well known that tape drives is differ considerably in terms of how long they... By following these simple tips, your tape backups should run reliably, and you'll avoid the costly exercise of replacing your tape drive. ... Secondly, it is not well known that data must be supplied to tape drives at a sufficient rate in order to keep them streaming, or else the tape suffers...

Tape Data Recovery Software by Nehaa Gupta
Tape drives are installed in the cleanest environment and require high quality, cleaning on a regular basis, and proper handling of the tape media. Improper or poor usage, handling, and storing of tape drives lead to tape drive corruptions or damages. ... Tape media can get damage or corrupt due to mishandling, improper usage, damaged tape headers, erased tape drives, broken or de-spooled backup tapes, failed backup systems and tape libraries, unexpected system shutdowns or system failures. ... The tape drives need clean environment because when a tape is installed to a tape drive, the...

Still Backing Up Your Data To A Tape Drive? by Niall Roche
When it was determined that computers needed a good place to store the information they created, the tape drive was invented. This is a very old piece of computer technology, and as a result, you can imagine that it is not usually used for any but the most necessary of applications. ... Tape is a very fragile material and one of the main problems that tape drives have is the tape itself getting snagged, bent or even broken at any point on the tape itself. ... For the home computer user there are lots of different backup options that are far superior to tape drives - not that any home user...

Creating a Backup Plan by Stephen Bucaro
Your company's data may be its most important asset. Imagine a large corporation with millions of dollars of account receivable and account payable data stored on their network. A fire causes massive data loss. How much work would be required to re-create the lost data? ... The next time you perform a differential backup, it will again save all the files that have changed since the last full backup. ... Backup programs can reduce the size of backups by saving only files which have been modified since the previous backup.

Choosing a Tape Drive by Linus Chang
Tape drives remain the leading technology used by organizations for backup and archiving. However, the plethora of tape drives on the market can make choosing the appropriate tape drive a confusing task. How do you select a tape drive that satisfies your needs without blowing the budget? ... If you choose wisely, you should end up with a tape drive that fulfils your organization's tape backup and archiving needs, without blowing the budget. ... Transfer rate The transfer rate of the tape drive is becomes important when there is limited "window of opportunity" in which backup jobs may run.