Backup tape rotation is a system used for backing up and storing digital data on the magnetic tape that’s typically found in cartridges and cassettes. Considering its high volume capacity at a very affordable cost, magnetic tape is one of the best options for backing up individual workstations or small networks.

With a backup tape rotation scheme, the first step is setting up a tracking system for tape retention periods. Once those retention periods expire, the tapes are cycled and reused by performing a new backup with the most current data. Thus, starting the retention tracking over again. As a result, this minimizes the overall number of tapes needed for backups.