Data Recovery

Travan tape drives use quarter-inch-tape cartridges (QIC). QIC cartridges are rather small and resemble audiocassette tapes. They have two reels inside: one reel holds the tape while the other is used for take-up. The reels are controlled by a belt built into the cartridge. The QIC format uses a linear recording technique. Data is written to parallel tracks which run along the length of the tape. Typically, the drive has a single write head flanked on either side by a read head. This allows the drive to verify data that has just been written to the tape. If errors are detected, the data is rewritten.
The read/write heads remain stationary even as the tape moves at a high speed, at a rate of up to 100 inches per second. When the drive reaches one of the ends of a tape, the direction is reversed, and data is then written to the next track.

Travan tapes must be retensioned frequently to ensure data integrity and optimize drive performance. Retensioning ensures proper alignment of the media inside the tape cartridge. Travan tapes should be retensioned after every full backup.