Welcome back Carolyn!
We (RM) list backup tapes and such on our retention schedule for a couple of reasons.  One - we account for every copy, record and document so folks clearly understand what to do with things.  Two - it places them under our RM policies for legal hold and legal discovery.  Three - we include them on the Vital Records Schedule and include them in the Vital Records program and procedures. We also manage the contract with the media storage vendor where we store the backup tapes.  

However, the tapes are rotated, not retained for a particular retention (as you said - they are recovery copies not retention copies) and the actual rotation policy and procedures for creating the backups and recovery from the backups are developed and managed by the network engineering folks (a part of our division).  These procedures are incorporated as part of the IT Division Contingency Plan.

Our schedule lists them as follows:
WW1078 SECURITY BACKUP and RECOVERY COPIES
of ELECTRONIC RECORDS or PROGRAMS
Copies of master files, server drive contents, databases,
spreadsheets and other electronic documents. Includes
copies of programs or instructions necessary to retrieve
copied information.
Retain off-site until replaced or
superseded, then purge or destroy.
Nonrecords per Virginia Public Records
Act; disposal reporting on LVA RM-3 not
required (§42.1-77 Code of Virginia).

Ginny Jones
(Virginia A. Jones, CRM, FAI)
Records Manager
Information Technology Division
Newport News Dept. of Public Utilities
Newport News, VA
[log in to unmask]

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]