Is it possible to delete files or folders from an LTO tape?

[Oliver_Buckie]

Dear Experts,

We use Symantec Backup Exec 12.5 to backup files, on a Windows Server 2008 R2 formatted as NTFS, to LTO4 tapes. Is it possible to delete individual files or folders from these LTO tapes, while keeping the rest intact? If so, how can this be done? If not, is this a software version issue, media issue and would it be possible if we upgraded to newer technology (BE 2014, LTO6...)?

Many thanks for your help.

Oliver

[VJware · Accepted solution]

Nopes. Its either none or all delete from tapes.

This is how tapes are designed (doesnt matter which software or tape technology you use). Tapes are accessed in a serial manner only.

[pkh]

You cannot delete individual files/folders from either a tape or disk backup set. Even if this can be done, it is akin to shredding and it has legal implications

[Oliver_Buckie]

Thanks for your feedback. You have confirmed my original thoughts. BTW, it might be due to legal implications that the data needs to be removed... i.e. if data was not allowed to be backed up in the first place.

I have read that with LTFS (works on LTO 5 and greater) this might be possible. Is that something that Symantec supports? Thoughts on this technology?

Thanks for your continued assistence.

[VJware]

BE or NBU definitely does not support LTFS in the manner or selectively deleting backed up files from tapes. However reading up on this, looks like there are very few applications which supports this.