Update;
I have a feeling I have to make a DB-dump (export?) in all cases first and write the dump to tape.
Is this correct? And if so, can onyone tell me how to schedule a dump-job (every office day some time before Tape-job)?
And do I just have to write the dump to tape or more files?

---
I'm no database-expert but use db's for cms's.

I have one server running Windows 2000 with MS SQL-server 2000 and a server running Windows 2008r2 with MS SQL-server 2005 and MySQL.

I'm looking for an easy way to backup the DB's to a tape-devices.

I now have set timed scripts to shut down the DB's one minute before Backup-time (and start DB's after Backup-routine).

Is this a good/safe method?

If I do a quick copy-paste test, the MySQL database is back running quickly (even without shutting down DB before copy) but it doesn't work for MS-SQL DB's (and restore doesn't work).
And I wonder if things go down all together and I have to install everything again, can I restore the MySQL database this way (I mean with a fresh MySQL-setup).