System for using a virtual tape encryption format

A system and method for storing electronic data in accordance with the present invention, requires receipt of the data to be stored from a back-up server. The data is then compressed, encrypted and formatted by the system to create a virtual file. An encryption key and "meta-data", which includes information about the physical attributes of electronic data in the virtual file, are also created by the system. The virtual file, with meta-data, can then be held at a storage device without specifically formatting the virtual file for the device. The encryption key is held separately for subsequent use in file reconstruction.