Backwards Compatibility with BE2010

[cameron_brown]

Hi,

We currently have a number of old LTO3-LTO5 tapes, made using Backup Exec 2010, that need restored however we no longer have access to our Backup Exec 2010 machines due to them running on Windows XP and IT deeming them a risk. Just needing to know if the current versions of Backup Exec would be able to read and restore these tapes? Failing that, what would the earliest possible version needed to do so?

[pkh · Accepted solution]

The latest version of BE should be able to read your LTO tapes, provided you have the necessary tape drives and have set them up correct.  The Windows Device Manager must show that they are functioning correctly.

However, the software needed for the contents is another matter.  If, for example, you are restoring old Exchange mailboxes, then you would need the proper Exchange environment.  This is a Microsoft limitation, not BE.

[RogRubin]

In addition to PKH response.
You need to have a tape drive which can read these tapes (sometimes tape drives can only read a few version older tapes) and then that tape drive has to be supported by the OS.