Test the Equipment
Some businesses have backups that seem to go as planned for months, only to discover when an emergency arises that no data was in fact recorded.

Parallel Problems
Avoid systems with a parallel printer port connection. These transfer data much more slowly than devices using a SCSI or IDE connection.

Clean It Up
Tape drives require frequent cleaning to remain in working condition. Buy a tape head cleaner to prolong the life of the head, and set a schedule for cleaning the drive.

Silver Watch Rule
Tapes that are frequently used should be retired after about one year.

Store Off-site
Businesses should use a backup routine that keeps at least one complete set of data off-site at all times. In many cases, the best approach is a grandfather-father-son approach, which records three complete versions of all data. If a backup does not go as planned, this means there are still two recent copies of the data available