A backup medium is assigned to every backup you carry out. Backup media include files, tapes, autoloaders, and pipes.
Backup media can be defined before or during the backup process and they are defined separately for each individual
database instance. You can define single backup media or combine media to form a group of parallel backup media.Recommended Backup Media
Using files or version files as the backup medium only makes sense if they are written to tape or autoloader afterwards.
You should only use pipes if you are working with an external backup tool.
It is best always to copy the files to tape or autoloader. Only separate media can be kept at other locations as a safeguard in the event of fire or similar hazards.
You must follow the manufacturer's recommendations on how frequently backup media should be used.
Naming
When names are assigned, we differentiate between
standard backup media and backup media for external backup tools.