replace dead AIT-1 tape drive - help!

[DCurry]

Let me start this by saying I know next-to-nothing about tape drives other than how to use one.

I have a library of archives on Sony AIT-1 (35GB native/91GB compressed) tapes. I access the tapes from a Mac via Retrospect 6 and an external FireWire Sony StorStation drive (model ATDEA2A). The drive appears to have died today, so I need to replace it.

Can anyone educate me about these drives? If I get one that writes higher-capacity tapes, will it still read my old tapes? I'm probably not going to make any more tape archives since external HDs are so cheap these days, but I still need access to my old tape library on a regular basis.

 

[MacTwidget]

Generally speaking, AIT devices are backwards compatible.
AIT-2 drives will be able to access AIT-1 media.
AIT-3 drives will access both AIT-2 and AIT-1 tapes.

 

[DCurry]

Good to know - my other research is confirming this. Thanks!

 

[MGB_LE]

Now is a perfect time to reassess your backup strategy, however. You may want to look at ways to update the media and solftware you use for backup.

 

[DCurry]

Now is a perfect time to reassess your backup strategy, however. You may want to look at ways to update the media and solftware you use for backup.

Yes, as I noted in my original post I just need access to old archives and newer backups are being done to HD.