STORE and TurboSTORE/iX Products Manual (B5151-90003)

20 Chapter1
Introduction
Backup Media
Backup Media
Backup media can include reel-to-reel magnetic tapes, DDS tapes, 3480 cartridges, and
disk files. Backup media provides an economical way to maintain duplicates of important
files on your system.
The process of copying a file to backup media is called storing the file. The process of
copying a file from backup media is called restoring the file.
As a system administrator/operator, you frequently STORE and RESTORE files. You might,
for example:
• Store all files on the system (backup) in case one or more files become corrupted, either
accidentally, intentionally, or by a malfunction.
• Store an important file in order to create a duplicate for a user.
• Permanently store several files offline by storing them to media and deleting them from
disk (archive).
• Transfer files from one system to another by storing them from one system and
restoring them on to the other.
Backup Devices
Backup devices are system peripherals that allow you to write information to, and read
information from, backup media. The backup devices currently supported by MPE/iX are:
• 1/2 inch tape drives
• DDS drives
• 3480 compatible drives
• Disk files
Because only one person can use a backup device at a time, it is your responsibility to
monitor backup devices, grant users access to them, and help them load and unload
backup media. Chapter 3, "Preparing Storage Devices," describes how to manage backup
devices.