Project Backup Podcast

This 2020 session with 2026 insights provides a technical examination of digital asset discovery and data remediation within backup tape environments. It focuses on extracting, normalizing, and analyzing backup tape file-level metadata (including file paths, timestamps, ownership, size, and system attributes) to establish data lineage, retention alignment, and risk exposure without requiring full data restores.

The discussion addresses challenges associated with legacy tape formats, mixed backup platforms, and incomplete catalog data, and outlines methods for performing policy-driven remediation actions such as legal hold validation, defensible deletion, and selective data recovery.

The session emphasizes a backup-software-agnostic architecture, enabling metadata inspection and governance workflows across heterogeneous backup solutions. This approach reduces vendor lock-in, supports scalable remediation across large tape inventories, and improves compliance with information governance, privacy, and regulatory requirements while minimizing operational cost and system impact.

Project Podcast Backup - Working remotely during the COVID-19 Pandemic 

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Non-native restoration is a methodology that uses software that is designed to index data or rip data and/or databases from tapes for further extraction or processing.

Why Non-Native: 

•Can be a more efficient (fast) methodology in certain cases  

•Sequencing of tapes is less critical 

•Initial set-up time is less time consuming (not replicating the environment) 

•Good approach if underlying issue is disaster recovery/operational requests 

•Some clients shy away from non-native for litigation or external investigation 

•Tape indexing can be a useful approach for internal assessments, initial sampling, etc. 

Best available approach when native restoration cannot be utilized  

Dean Felicetti

4016010927

Native restoration is a scalable methodology that replicates the underlying technologies (backup software, operating system, etc.) that existed at the corporation (at the point of backup).

Why Native: 

•Many clients (who explore various methodologies) demand it 

•Defensibility is their key driver 

•Comprehensive restoration – may only need to restore once 

•Traceable – chain of custody •Tools used are those approved and utilized by client IT staff 

•Cost control and risk mitigation issues 

•Create full catalogs using native backup technology 

•Ability to build a database of key fields without full restoration 

 •Dumpster items (double-deleted items) in Exchange Less common email forms handled natively 

Dean Felicetti 401.601.0927

High level - brief discussion on Backup Tape Cataloging/Indexing 

•Reporting of tape contents

•Backup software-dependent

•High Level

         •Media ID/Barcode; Backup Set #; Type (Full/Differential/Incremental); Backup Date/Time; Operating system

•Low Level

          •For File server and user/network shares verbatim listing of folders and files

          •For Exchange, may have EDB names

•Catalog service 

           •Consultation around sampling, tape contents, selective restores

Dean Felicetti 401.601.0927

High level - brief discussion on Backup Tape Preservation

•Tape duplication to like or unlike media

•Block level – block level copies

•No need for cataloging or restoration requirements

Dean Felicetti 401.601.0927

Introduction - Prequel (if you will) to the Project Backup (tape) Podcast with Dean M. Felicetti

Partner of The Oliver Group (an RVM Company)

Business Strategies of RVM

Head Boys Basketball Coach of The Prout School