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.

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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.

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 means 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

The Hardware Reality

The Tape Drive Is Half the Recovery

A tape without a compatible drive is a box of magnetized plastic. LTO's own compatibility rules strand archives more often than physical damage does.

Drive generation	Reads	What that strands
LTO-1 through LTO-7	Own generation plus two back	The comfortable era. An LTO-7 drive still reads LTO-5, so archives stayed reachable across upgrade cycles.
LTO-8	LTO-8 and LTO-7 only	The rule change. LTO-6 tapes became unreadable on current hardware the day LTO-8 shipped.
LTO-9	LTO-9 and LTO-8 only	LTO-7 archives joined the stranded list. Companies discovered this during restores, which is the worst possible moment.
LTO-10	LTO-10 only	Backward reading ends entirely. Every earlier generation now depends on older drives staying alive somewhere.

The industry's own data agrees: the most common cause of tape data loss is a missed migration rather than a failed tape. Our lab keeps working drives across generations, including DLT, DDS/DAT and AIT, so your recovery never stalls on procurement.

Beyond the Hardware

Reading the Tape Is Step One. Understanding It Is Step Two

Raw blocks off a tape are not files. What turns them back into files depends on which backup software wrote them and whether its catalog survived.

Backup Exec and NTBackup

MTF-family formats. With the catalog gone, sets are reconstructed from on-tape headers, which is slower but recovers the same files.

NetBackup, ARCserve, TSM

Enterprise formats with their own block layouts. We parse each natively, so recovery does not require rebuilding your old backup server.

TAR and dump tapes

Unix-era archives read cleanly once block sizes are guessed right. Mixed-block tapes from old scripts are a specialty of ours.

LTFS volumes

From LTO-5 onward tapes can carry a self-describing file system. A damaged LTFS index is repairable; the data partition usually survives untouched underneath.

Encrypted cartridges

LTO-4 introduced hardware encryption. Straight answer: without the key or the key manager backup, no lab on earth recovers that data. We check before quoting.

Unknown tapes

Unlabeled cartridges from a cupboard are common. Identification comes first: a safe header read tells us the writer, the era and what a full recovery would return.

Failure Catalog

How Tapes Actually Fail and What Each Failure Costs

Different failures need different responses. Whatever the failure, the first read produces an image and all repair work happens on the copy, never the original.

Sticky-shed syndrome

Older media absorbs moisture until the binder turns gummy and sheds onto heads. Controlled low-heat treatment stabilizes the tape long enough for one careful pass, which is why that pass has to count.

Snapped tape and broken leader pins

LTO leader pins detach and tapes snap mid-spool. Splicing loses the data across the splice point only; everything else reads. Never re-tension a snapped cartridge in a working drive.

Fire, water and mold

Heat warps shells before it destroys media and water damage is mostly contamination. Shell transplants and cleaning recover more of these than owners expect. Do not dry, rewind or open the cartridge yourself.

Overwritten and degaussed media

A short accidental overwrite destroys what it touched; the rest of the tape recovers. A degaussed tape is gone, full stop. Anyone quoting a recovery on one is selling hope. We decline those jobs and say why.

How It Works

Our Tape Recovery Process

Eight steps, each with a reason: protect the media first, image it once, then work only from the copy.

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

Check Before You Ship

When You Do Not Need a Tape Recovery Lab

Three situations where shipping us the tape would waste your money. Rule them out first.

Drive, software and catalog intact

A healthy tape plus a compatible drive plus the original backup software restores itself. Your IT team can run that without us.

LTFS tapes with a working drive

LTFS volumes mount like external disks on any matching drive. If the index is healthy, copying the files off is the whole job.

You need migration, not recovery

Readable tapes headed for the cloud or newer media are a migration project at migration prices. We quote them that way instead of dressing them up as recoveries.

Ship the tape when reads fail, hardware is missing, the catalog is gone or the media is damaged. That is the territory where a lab earns its fee.

Where We Differ

Tape Recovery for Legal, Audit and Compliance Work

Univik's background is digital forensics. When the tape is evidence rather than just backup, that history matters.

Chain of custody

Cartridges are logged, sealed and tracked from arrival to return. Handling records arrive fit for submission alongside the recovered data.

Hash manifests

Every recovered file ships with cryptographic hashes, so opposing counsel and auditors can verify nothing changed after the read.

Read-only discipline

Recovery passes never write to the source cartridge. The tape that arrives is the tape that leaves, unchanged, which is exactly what a court expects to hear.

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

Chat With a Recovery Engineer

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

Chat With a Recovery Engineer

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

Start With a Live Chat

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 plus 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.

A tape data recovery service reads data back from magnetic tape cartridges that can no longer be restored normally, whether the obstacle is a missing drive generation, a damaged cartridge, a lost backup catalog or a defunct backup application. The lab supplies compatible drives across LTO, DLT, DAT/DDS and older formats, parses the backup software's own on-tape structures and returns verified files with a report of what was recovered and what was not.

Yes, in most cases. Backup applications write recognizable structures onto the tape itself and those structures can be parsed directly, without rebuilding your old backup server. Catalog files speed the work up but their loss does not stop it. The genuine hard limits are different: a hardware-encrypted cartridge without its key and a properly degaussed tape are both unrecoverable and we say so before any money changes hands.

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.