Write Once, Read Many (WORM) data storage is used for archiving data that requires a long retention period. Data can be written to WORM media one time only. After that, the media can be appended to, but it cannot be overwritten, erased, or reformatted.

When WORM media is used in a media set, the overwrite protection period is not applied to it, but the append period is applied. New WORM media is WORM media that has not been written to.

When new WORM media is introduced into Backup Exec, it is placed in the Scratch Media set. After the WORM media has been written to one time, you cannot move it to the Scratch media set. You can move WORM media to the Retired Media set to delete it from Backup Exec, but you cannot erase it or reformat it.



WORM can be used with Symantec Backup Exec 11d and 12.x for ad hoc backup jobs and for backup jobs created from policies. When you select the option Use Write once, read many (WORM) media, Backup Exec confirms that the destination device is or contains a WORM-compatible drive, and that the WORM media is available in the drive. If WORM media or a WORM-compatible drive is not found, an alert is sent.

WORM media was not been specifically tested for use with Backup Exec for Windows Servers 10.0 and prior versions but supports some of the SCSI WORM tape drives for Backup Exec for Windows Servers 10.0 5520 and later versions.

Now with Symantec Backup Exec 11d and above the SCSI WORM tape drives are explicitly tested.  Refer the Hardware Compatibility List for the same in related documents.