Tape Storage Recommendations

For On-site Storage

Follow these recommendations for on-site storage:

  • Don’t store tapes in the same room as the computer. Store tapes on the opposite end of the building—away from the computer. An entire building is rarely destroyed; an entire room is destroyed more often.

  • Store this week’s rotation of tapes, with the most recent saves, in a fireproof container (safe) until they can be moved to off-site storage. The most recent saves should never be kept on-site more than seven days.

  • Print the Media Required Summary Forecast each Monday using the upcoming Friday’s date. The report lists the location of each rotation you will need so you can make sure all the tapes you are going to use in the coming week are on-site.

  • Once a quarter, print the Volumes by Container report for the on-site locations. Have your operators find everything on the list. Update the tape management system if you find any errors.

For Off-site Storage

Follow these recommendations for off-site storage:

  • Store at least one rotation of tapes off-site for every backup set you use to back up your system. That site should be at least five miles away from your computer room. We recommend you use a commercial storage service rather than someone’s basement or another office.

  • Use a commercial delivery service to pick up and deliver backup tapes on a scheduled basis. Your people are too busy to move tapes off-site regularly. Scheduled delivery service pick up adds outside discipline to your tape management system. Everyone knows the service will be on your doorstep every Monday, and those tapes must be ready to be picked up.

  • Do not give tapes to non-company personnel unless they sign a receipt. Keep a log of the tapes they take.

  • Develop and use move sets for all backup classes and for individual data sets. The move sets will move tapes automatically to the next location. Not only does this reduce tape movement errors, it allows Robot Save to give you additional information to better manage your department.

  • Use delivery tickets to list the volumes you should give the tape storage service and the volumes they should return to you. Robot Save generates those delivery tickets for you. Print the Volumes to be Moved report for the locations of the volume exchange, using today’s date as the date range.

  • Run the Volumes Leaving or Arriving Today report to see a list of volumes that need to be sent to an off-site location or check that the volumes due back have arrived.

  • Before you move tape rotations off-site, put them in permanent, sealable tape boxes or cases. Put a serial number on each tape box and enter it as an allowable container in system setup. It is much easier for you and your tape storage service to control containers rather than volumes. Never allow non-company personnel to handle individual tape volumes. Use Robot Save’s container movement system to log and track the tape cases to and from your tape storage service.

  • Never mix rotations from the same backup set in the tape cases sent off-site. If you don’t follow this rule, one of the rotations will be back on-site before it should.

  • Run the Volumes to be Moved report at least once a week to spot any tape movement errors.

  • Audit your tape storage service once a quarter with a surprise visit. Print out a list of containers and volumes they should have. Have them find everything on the list and note how long it takes. If you are not satisfied by what you see, consider finding another storage service.