security issue: how data is written to tape?

[bnordman]

I have an issue where Security had to quarantine some of my tapes and now I have a restore to do from one of the tapes and I have to jump through some hoops.

Here is my question: can someone give me a general overview of how files are written to the tape? Specifically... is it possible for one non-confidential file to be "touching" a confidential file?

Or in other words - is there a specific "this file starts here and ends here" on tape or are files intertwined?

 

[Zelandakh]

no. It is secure enough for you not to need to worry about that. But as the administrator you have the ability to restore anything you like to anywhere.

 

[bnordman]

In order for Security to release the tapes back to me, I have to prove that my non-confidential file is not "touching" a confidential file. So I am looking for how files are written to the tape...

 

[steveot]

The information is written to the tape in MTF format or Microsoft Tape format. So NTBACKUP can restore the tapes if needed. Getting down to how the files are written ..as tape device is just like a VCR recorder/tape. You write the files serialy one at time ..one after another. So the files dont touch on the tape. So for example you have Show1 on your vcr tape then record show2 after..how are they touching? Same technology as tape drives.

 

[SQLBill]

As steveot says, on tapes the data is written concurrently, which is unlike writting to disks where you can't guarantee where on the disk the data will be written.

One problem (steveot brought it up) is how to prove what you are restoring from the tape. If I am given a tape, I can restore whatever I want from it regardless of where it is on the tape. One exception, some backup software allows you to password protect what is written to tape. But I'm guessing that didn't happen in this case.

Your 'best' option is to tell them in writing which file(s) you plan on recovering from the tape. Then let them oversee you do the recovery or let them check to see if the confidential files exist on your computer after the recovery.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875