Backup tapes

When was the last time you tried to restore data from your backup tapes?  A backup is only good if it is tested.

How old are the tapes? Tapes have a life. After a certain point they deteriorate.

What do you do with them when they reach their end of life? Do yo leave them on a shelf? or throw them in the garbage?

How are they taken off-site? Now think, your valuable company data is going home with who? and they are leaving it where in their house?

Do you have a mix of tapes from old systems that you don’t have the hardware or software from to restore them? Have you changed the hardware and software that you used to backup your systems? How do you restore data from your old tapes?

What happens in a disaster? If the place gets flooded; or vandalized; or a server crashes?

Please think thru these questions and answer them truthfully. It is your company data and keeping you running that is at state here!