What types of tape formats do you support for data recovery?

We support all major tape formats including LTO (Ultrium 1-9), DLT (I-IV, VS, S4), DAT/DDS, AIT, QIC, Travan, 8mm/Exabyte, 9-track, 3480/3490/3590, and legacy mainframe tapes.

How long does tape data recovery take?

Standard tape recovery takes 5-10 business days. Emergency 24-48 hour rush service is available. Free evaluation typically takes 1-2 business days.

What is your success rate for tape data recovery?

Our tape data recovery success rate is 95% across all tape formats with a no-data, no-charge policy for failed recoveries.

Univik Data Recovery Services

Tape Data Recovery & Extraction

ISO 27001 95% Success Free Evaluation Since 2013

Excellent 4.9 (127 Reviews)

Univik provides professional tape data recovery and tape data extraction services for businesses worldwide. We recover data from damaged, corrupted, or obsolete tape media including LTO, DLT, DAT, AIT, DDS, QIC and legacy formats. ISO 27001 certified lab with 95% success rate and no-data, no-charge guarantee.

Free Evaluation
No Obligation Quote

Call for Quote

All Tape Formats: LTO/Ultrium, DLT, DAT/DDS, AIT, QIC, Travan, 8mm, 9-track, 3480/3490/3590 and legacy mainframe tapes.
Physical & Logical Recovery: Damaged cartridges, broken leaders, corrupted backups, encrypted tapes and obsolete formats.
Secure Processing: ISO 27001 certified facility, NDA protection, encrypted data transfer and optional media destruction.
Global Service: Worldwide shipping with insured courier pickup, free inbound shipping for US customers.

🎯 Quick Service Overview

95% Success Rate

50+ Tape Formats

230+ Recovered

12+ Years Exp.

Trusted by Fortune 500, government agencies and healthcare providers.

🏥 Healthcare 🏛️ Government 🏦 Finance ⚖️ Legal

Supported Tape Formats

LTO/Ultrium

DLT/SDLT

DAT/DDS

AIT/SAIT

QIC/Travan

8mm/Exabyte

9-Track Reel

3480/3490

3590/3592

VXA/Mammoth

95%

Recovery Success Rate

230+

Tapes Recovered

50+

Tape Formats Supported

2013

Established Since

ISO 27001 Certified

12+ Years Experience

95% Success Rate

Worldwide Service

NDA Protected

Why Choose Us

Why Choose Univik for Tape Data Recovery?

With over 12 years of experience in digital forensics and data recovery, Univik has established itself as a trusted leader in tape media recovery services. Our combination of expertise, technology, and security protocols ensures the highest success rates in the industry.

ISO 27001 Certified Lab

Our recovery facility meets the highest international standards for information security management. All data handling follows strict chain-of-custody protocols with full audit trails.

Legacy Equipment Library

We maintain an extensive collection of vintage and current tape drives, including rare and discontinued models. This allows us to recover data from tapes that other services cannot read.

Clean Room Facility

Physical tape repairs are performed in our Class 100 clean room environment. This prevents contamination during leader repair, tape splicing, and cartridge shell replacement.

Proprietary Recovery Tools

Our engineers have developed specialized software tools for extracting data from corrupted tape headers, damaged file systems, and proprietary backup formats that standard tools cannot handle.

No Data, No Charge

We operate on a success-based pricing model. If we cannot recover your data, you do not pay for the recovery attempt. Free evaluation provides a detailed quote before any work begins.

Emergency Rush Service

Critical situations require immediate attention. Our 24/48-hour emergency service prioritizes your recovery with dedicated engineers working around the clock until completion.

Comprehensive Format Support

Supported Tape Formats & Drives

We support all major tape technologies from current enterprise formats to legacy and obsolete media. Our equipment library includes rare drives that are no longer manufactured, enabling recovery from decades-old archives.

LTO / Ultrium

Linear Tape-Open

Generations Supported:

LTO-9 (18TB) LTO-8 (12TB) LTO-7 (6TB) LTO-6 (2.5TB) LTO-5 (1.5TB) LTO-4 (800GB) LTO-3 (400GB) LTO-2 (200GB) LTO-1 (100GB)

Drive Manufacturers: IBM, HP/HPE, Quantum, Dell, Tandberg, Seagate

DLT / SDLT

Digital Linear Tape

Formats Supported:

DLT-S4 (800GB) SDLT 600 (300GB) SDLT 320 (160GB) Super DLT I (110GB) DLT VS160 (80GB) DLT VS80 (40GB) DLT 8000 (40GB) DLT 7000 (35GB) DLT 4000 (20GB) DLT 2000 (10GB) DLT I/II/III/IV CompacTape

Drive Manufacturers: Quantum, DEC, Benchmark, Tandberg

DAT / DDS

Digital Audio Tape

Formats Supported:

DAT-320 (160GB) DAT-160 (80GB) DAT-72 (36GB) DDS-4 (20GB) DDS-3 (12GB) DDS-2 (4GB) DDS-1 (2GB) DAT Audio (1.3GB)

Drive Manufacturers: HP, Sony, Seagate, Tandberg, Archive

AIT / SAIT

Advanced Intelligent Tape

Formats Supported:

SAIT-2 (800GB) SAIT-1 (500GB) AIT-5 (400GB) AIT-4 (200GB) AIT-3 (100GB) AIT-2 (50GB) AIT-1 (25GB) AIT-E Turbo

Drive Manufacturers: Sony, Qualstar

Legacy Formats

QIC, 8mm, 9-Track & More

Formats Supported:

QIC (all widths) Travan (TR-1 to TR-7) 8mm/Exabyte VXA (1-3) Mammoth (1-2)

9-Track Reel IBM 3480 IBM 3490/3490E IBM 3590 IBM 3592 StorageTek T9840 StorageTek T10000

SLR (Tandberg) ADR (OnStream) MLR (Tandberg) Redwood (STK) 3570/Magstar MP DECtape Open Reel

📦 Backup Software Compatibility

Veritas

NetBackup, BE

Veeam

All versions

Commvault

Simpana

IBM TSM

Spectrum Protect

Arcserve

UDP, Backup

Dell EMC

NetWorker, Avamar

+ HP Data Protector, Amanda, Bacula, tar, cpio, dump, ntbackup, Windows Server Backup and proprietary formats

How It Works

Our Tape Recovery Process

Our systematic approach ensures maximum data recovery while maintaining the highest security standards. From initial contact to data delivery, every step is documented and trackable.

Free Evaluation Request

Contact us via phone, email, or web form with details about your tape media, format, and data requirements. We provide an initial assessment and shipping instructions within 1-2 hours during business hours.

Secure Media Shipping

Ship your tapes using our prepaid insured shipping label (free for US customers). All media is tracked and handled according to chain-of-custody protocols. We accept worldwide shipments with recommended packaging guidelines.

Physical Inspection

Upon arrival, our engineers perform a thorough physical inspection of each tape cartridge. We document condition, identify any physical damage, and assess repair requirements in our clean room if needed.

Diagnostic Analysis

We perform non-destructive diagnostic reads to determine tape condition, data format, backup software used, and recoverability. This analysis forms the basis of your detailed quote with success probability.

Quote & Authorization

We provide a detailed quote including recovery scope, timeline, and pricing. No work proceeds without your written authorization. For emergency cases, we can provide verbal approval with follow-up documentation.

Data Recovery

Our engineers extract data using the appropriate drives, tools, and techniques for your specific tape format. This may include physical repairs, multiple read passes, error correction, and format conversion.

Data Verification

All recovered data undergoes integrity verification. We provide a detailed file listing for your review and can extract specific files for verification before final delivery. You confirm the recovered data meets your requirements.

Secure Data Delivery

Recovered data is delivered via encrypted external drive, secure cloud transfer, or new tape media per your preference. Original tapes are returned or securely destroyed per your instructions with certificate of destruction.

⏱️ Typical Recovery Timeline

1-2 Days

Free Evaluation

5-10 Days

Standard Recovery

24-48 Hours

Emergency Rush

Problems We Solve

Common Tape Recovery Scenarios

Whether your tapes have physical damage, logical corruption, or simply cannot be read due to obsolete equipment, our team has the expertise and tools to recover your critical data.

🔧 Physical Damage Recovery

Broken Tape Leaders: Re-splicing and attaching new leader tape in clean room conditions
Damaged Cartridge Shells: Transplanting tape reels to new housings without data loss
Stretched or Crinkled Tape: Careful re-tensioning and flattening procedures
Water/Flood Damage: Professional drying and cleaning of contaminated media
Fire/Smoke Damage: Decontamination and restoration of heat-affected tapes
Mold/Fungus Growth: Safe removal and treatment of biological contamination

💾 Logical & Software Issues

Corrupted Backup Catalogs: Rebuilding file indexes from raw tape data
Failed Backup Jobs: Extracting partial data from incomplete backups
Encryption Key Loss: Assistance with encrypted tape recovery when keys are available
Proprietary Formats: Reverse engineering unknown backup software formats
Media Read Errors: Advanced error correction and multiple-pass reading
Software Incompatibility: Converting between backup software versions

📼 Obsolete Equipment Issues

No Working Drives: Access to extensive library of vintage tape drives
Discontinued Formats: Support for formats no longer manufactured
Legacy Software Required: Vintage systems configured for old backup software
Mainframe Tapes: IBM, Unisys, and other mainframe format expertise
Minicomputer Archives: DEC, HP, Data General tape format support
Media Migration: Converting old formats to modern accessible formats

⏳ Media Degradation

Sticky Shed Syndrome: Baking and treatment of degraded binder
Oxide Shedding: Cleaning and careful extraction from deteriorating media
Magnetic Signal Loss: Enhanced reading of weak magnetic signals
Age-Related Deterioration: Special handling for decades-old tapes
Improper Storage Damage: Recovery from temperature/humidity damage
UV/Light Exposure: Reading sun-damaged or faded tape media

Transparent Pricing

Service Levels & Pricing

We offer transparent, upfront pricing with no hidden fees. All quotes are provided after our free evaluation, and you only pay if we successfully recover your data.

Standard Service

$300/tape

Starting price - varies by complexity

✓ 5-10 business day turnaround
✓ Free evaluation and quote
✓ Physical inspection included
✓ Data delivered on HDD or cloud
✓ 30-day data retention
✓ No data, no charge guarantee

Get Free Quote

Priority Service

$500/tape

Starting price - varies by complexity

✓ 2-5 business day turnaround
✓ Free evaluation and quote
✓ Priority queue placement
✓ Dedicated engineer assigned
✓ Daily progress updates
✓ No data, no charge guarantee

Get Free Quote

Emergency 24/48hr

$800/tape

Starting price - varies by complexity

✓ 24-48 hour turnaround
✓ Immediate evaluation on arrival
✓ 24/7 engineer availability
✓ Real-time progress updates
✓ Express return shipping
✓ No data, no charge guarantee

Get Free Quote

📦 Volume Discounts Available

Recovering multiple tapes? We offer significant volume discounts for batch recovery projects.

5-10 Tapes

10% Discount

11-25 Tapes

15% Discount

26-50 Tapes

20% Discount

50+ Tapes

Custom Quote

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

We support all major tape formats including LTO/Ultrium (generations 1-9), DLT/SDLT (all versions including DLT-S4), DAT/DDS (DDS-1 through DAT-320), AIT/SAIT (all generations), QIC and Travan (all widths), 8mm/Exabyte, VXA/Mammoth, and legacy formats including 9-track reels, IBM 3480/3490/3590/3592, StorageTek T9840/T10000, and mainframe tapes. Our equipment library includes drives that are no longer manufactured.

Free evaluation typically takes 1-2 business days after we receive your media. Standard recovery takes 5-10 business days depending on tape condition and data volume. Priority service offers 2-5 business day turnaround, while Emergency rush service provides 24-48 hour recovery for critical situations. Complex recoveries involving physical damage or rare formats may require additional time.

Our overall tape data recovery success rate is 95% across all tape formats. This includes recovery from physically damaged tapes, corrupted backup sets, and obsolete media requiring legacy equipment. We operate on a no-data, no-charge policy - if we cannot recover your data, you do not pay for the recovery attempt (evaluation is always free).

Yes, absolutely. We maintain ISO 27001 certified security protocols throughout our facility. All data is handled in our secure lab with restricted access. Our engineers sign comprehensive NDAs, and recovered data is encrypted during storage and transfer. We can provide certificates of destruction after data return if required for compliance purposes.

Yes. Our clean room facility handles physical repairs including broken tape leaders, damaged cartridge housings, contaminated media, stretched or crinkled tape, water/fire damage, and mold growth. We have specialized equipment for splicing, re-tensioning, and treating damaged tape media. Physical damage does not necessarily mean data loss.

We support all major backup software formats including Veritas NetBackup and Backup Exec, Veeam, Commvault, IBM Spectrum Protect (TSM), Arcserve, Dell EMC NetWorker and Avamar, HP Data Protector, Amanda, Bacula, as well as standard formats like tar, cpio, dump, ntbackup, and Windows Server Backup. We also reverse engineer proprietary and unknown formats.

Contact us to request a free prepaid shipping label (available for US customers). We recommend using original tape cases or sturdy boxes with adequate padding. Each tape should be individually wrapped and secured. We provide detailed packaging guidelines upon request. International shipping is accepted from anywhere in the world with customs documentation assistance.

Recovered data can be delivered via encrypted external hard drive, secure cloud transfer (encrypted download link), or new tape media in your preferred format. We work with you to determine the best delivery method based on data volume and your requirements. Original tapes are returned or securely destroyed per your instructions.

Client Success Stories

What Our Clients Say

Michael Rodriguez

IT Director, Healthcare System

"We had 15-year-old DLT tapes from a legacy system with patient records we needed for a compliance audit. Univik recovered 100% of the data when two other services said it was impossible. Their ISO certification gave our compliance team the documentation they needed."

Verified Client

Sarah Chen

Records Manager, Law Firm

"Our firm had LTO-4 tapes from a case that went cold 8 years ago. The case reopened and we desperately needed those files. Univik recovered everything in 5 days. The chain-of-custody documentation was exactly what we needed for court admissibility."

Verified Client

James Wilson

CTO, Financial Services

"Water damage from a burst pipe affected our tape library. We sent 47 tapes expecting the worst. Univik recovered data from 45 of them - far exceeding our expectations. Their clean room process and encrypted delivery met all our regulatory requirements."

Verified Client

Our Expertise

About Univik

Univik is a digital forensics and data recovery company founded in 2013 with a focus on tape media recovery, email forensics, and specialized data extraction services.

Our team of engineers brings decades of combined experience in storage technologies, backup systems, and data recovery. We have invested in building one of the most comprehensive collections of tape drives and legacy equipment in the industry, enabling us to recover data from media that other services cannot read.

We serve clients worldwide including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, healthcare systems, financial institutions, and legal firms. Our ISO 27001 certification demonstrates our commitment to information security and data protection throughout the recovery process.