Question: How long does a DDS cartridge last?

Answer: Approximately 2,000 passes may be made over a section of tape before degrading its performance. Depending on the backup application and other factors, each backup session can cause up to six passes. If the cartridge were to be used weekly as part of a backup cycle, then it would last several years. However, as DDS cartridges are inexpensive, it is unwise to economize by using them too long.