You need to perform monthly checkups on your tape backup device.
Tape backups for the most part are not very reliable at all. Even the slightest bit of dust on the tape can break them so they need continuous checking to make sure they are usable. Think about this, you've spent many hours amassing critical information for your business only to find that it is lost due to a damaged tape.
There are so many ways for you to backup your information securely rather then using tape backups. Tape backup is not always the best way to record your info fully, sometimes they even report it as a blank. If your primary method of saving information is a tape backup then it's important you make sure that the tape has actually been recording. There are many problems that can occur if your equipment is not properly cleaned. If you have been backing up a lot of information, and the tapes are dirty then you might find that none of the data has been saved.
There are lots of alternatives to use for information backup, and if you are looking for a secure way to save info then I would advise you to stay away from tape backup. There are lots of ways you can save your information, for example, flash drives, on-line backup or external hard drives. With all of the umpteen ways to backup your precious data there is no reason at all that you should use any tape backup at all.
Let me tell you from first hand experience that its the most awful feeling when you think that you are doing the right thing to back up your files and folders on your PC only to find out at the worst time that it was not being done at all. It is not too bad if you already loose personal information, but losing critical business information can cost you lots of money. Even the best kept back up system cannot always keep you from losing crucial data, even though you did your best to keep it clean and adopted all the instructions from the manufacturer.
Trust me when I tell you that its in your best interest to buy a backup software such as an external hard drive or a second hard drive. These systems are more dependable and a better solution than the prehistoric tape backup.
You can learn more about tape backup solutions by doing a search on one of the major search engines, and you will find that my theory is going to be almost unanimous.
