Patent ID: 7073036

Claim:
A backup system for backing up element groups that have one or more backup object elements on a tape recording medium, comprising priority-based backup means which back up all of the backup object elements belonging to a first element group in a first continuous region constituting a continuous recording region on the tape recording medium, and which back up all of the backup object elements belonging to a second element group whose group restoration priority is lower than the group restoration priority of said first element group in a second continuous region that is located on the tape tail end side of said first continuous region, on the basis of a plurality of group restoration priorities stored by group restoration priority memory means that store the plurality of group restoration priorities respectively corresponding to a plurality of element groups; wherein in cases where an edited element group of said first element group is generated following the backup of said first element group, said priority-based backup means read out and restore said first and second element groups from said tape recording medium, back up said restored first element group in a third continuous region of said tape recording medium or a separate tape recording medium, back up said edited element group in an additional fourth continuous region which is connected to said third continuous region on the tape tail end side, and back up said restored second element group in a fifth continuous region which is located on the tape tail end side of said fourth continuous region.