Can't do that unless you delete the data off those tapes !

Sounds like what you want to do is (do you perform any other "archives" ?
if not then)
Either archive the stuff with a 1 day retention and then export all your
node's "archive" data (daily)
OR
archive the stuff, export all your node's "archive" data (daily) and once
the exports have run, delete all archived data from your server.

IF you don't delete the data after you export it or if you don't use a 1 day
retention, then each day your exports will grow a day's worth of data...

So I guess your goal is to have unlimited days worth of info to go back
to...
that is sounding like a lot of work for a bunch of stuff nobody is probably
going to use...

later,
Dwight