>>A client in the resources industry recently asked for a database system that would need to be still running in 30 years time ...
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>John, I think you need to break the problem down into 5 or 10 year steps. What backup strategy will last 5 years. Then in 5 years be prepared to convert to another format and re-convert and re-backup for the next 5.
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>And it's not just the format of the backup but also the medium. I remember I had saved some DOS apps to 5.25" diskettes. Amazingly one day I needed some math calculation code from one of those apps. No problem as I had the diskettes safely stored. But no 5.25" diskette drive! It took me scavenging around second hand shops to finally locate a 5.25" diskette drive that actually worked and an old PC to run it on.

Thanks colleagues. I might have rephrased it that the client's specs _implied_ this kind of lifespan. They hadn't actually thought it through this far but, nonetheless, what they wanted would involve this kind of longevity.

I had the 16 year old 3 1/2" diskettes in my hand last year, but also no drive. Somebody does has a drive around here somewhere, but I had keep my own copies on hard disk all these years.

I appreciate your replies.

John Burton