Driver for Overland tape library

[Alma J Wetzker]

Dirk Moolman wrote:
> -----Original Message-----
> From: linux-users-bounces at linux-sxs.org
> [mailto:linux-users-bounces at linux-sxs.org] On Behalf Of Tony Alfrey
> 
> Net Llama! wrote:

[snip]

>> This planet.  He's confusing the general deterioration of the adhesion 
>> of the magnetic oxide on the tape with the fact that the stuff on the 
>> tape is already oxidized, but magnetic tape does deteriorate.  Ask any 
>> audio recording studio in LA where they put tape that they expected to 
>> have usable 10 years down the road.  I can personally attest to the 
>> oxide layer literally falling off the backing of old tape when taken
> out 
>> of the vault and run through the transport.
> 
> 
> 
> Just curious ..... how long do magnetic tapes normally last, before the
> data on them become unreadable ?

That really does depend on environment and tape drive.  In our warehouse
converted office, tapes were good for about two weeks, sitting out on
the table.  When we bought a fireproof data-safe, they lasted a number
of months.  When we bought off-site data storage, we got almost a year.

Everyone knows, and buys into, the backup mantra.  Very few people
actually *test* the restore.  (I was a bit anal about that...)  The
tapes generally last a good deal longer than the data on them.  YMMV

    -- Alma