Using the Option › Device Management Functions › How Arcserve Backup Labels Media with Bar Codes or Serial Numbers › How to Choose Expiration Dates

How to Choose Expiration Dates

The expiration date tracks how long media should be in service. The life of media is generally based on passes. A pass is defined as the storage drive head passing over a given point on the media. For example, a backup without verification constitutes one pass, whereas a backup with verification constitutes two passes.

Tape manufacturers rate their tapes’ useful lives from about 500 to 1500 passes. This does not mean that the tape is unusable after it reaches the maximum number of passes, only that it is more susceptible to errors at this point.

You should choose expiration dates based on how you plan to use the tape. If you plan to use the tape often, (for example, a few times a week), you should set the expiration date to one year, or less, from the date of formatting. By contrast, if you plan to use the tape only once or twice a month, you can set the expiration date to two or three years from the current date.

When media reaches its expiration date, Arcserve Backup notifies you that you cannot overwrite to expired media. To remedy this condition, you can specify to append the backup data to the expired media by doing the following:

1. Open the Backup Manager and click Options on the toolbar.

   The Global Options dialog opens.

2. Select the Backup Media tab.

   In the First Backup Media section, click Append, click OK, and resubmit the job.