How to transfer data from DLT and LTO2 tapes to LTO4

[eFe]

Hi,

I have historic copies of important information that I nedd to keep available for many years.

The firsts copies were made on DLT tapes using Veritas Backup Exec 9.0 (this server is offline due to hardware issues). The midle ones were made on LTO2 tapes using BE 9.0 and BE 12, and the last ones (a few months) on LTO4 using BE 12.

I want to transfer all the information on DLT and LTO2 to LTO4. It is posible to do this?

I have a Win 2003 server with BE 12...LTO 2 and LTO 4 tapes drives attached. DLT tapes drives not yet connected. Today I try to duplicate data from LTO 2 tapes to LTO 4 and work fine (both tapes have their catalogs in this server)....but from the older DLTs?

Thanks.

[Ben_L_ · Accepted solution]

Basically what you would need to do is just a duplicate job to duplicate the data from one tape to another.  You will need to have both drives attached to 1 server. Catalog the original media (if you haven't already), then you can copy(duplicate) it from tape to tape.

[eFe]

Thanks for your comments. Duplicate from LTO2 to LTO4 work OK...from DLT to LTO4 not tested yet...

Thanks.

 

[Ben_L_]

You shouldn't have any problems duplicating from DLT to LTO4. With the way that duplicates work it does not matter what type of media the source media is, as long as the data can be read Backup Exec should be able to duplicate it.

[marcogsp]

It would be a good idea to test recovery of data from the LTO4 after the transfer is done.  I've successfully done transfers to disimilar media, but it is still worth the effort to verify that the tranfered data is recoverable and usable.