In recent years, Cloud storage has been championed as the most efficient method of storing vital company data. But does that mean more traditional options have become irrelevant? In fact, no, and one of the oldest – Tape Storage – remains so effective it still has a place on an efficient Data Storage Strategy.
Drawing up an overall strategy is hugely important, not only in keeping key data safe and accessible but to ensure full compliance with data retention regulations. But while the Cloud remains a winner in storing information that needs to be accessed regularly and retained in the short-term (1-3 years), and minimizing the impact of downtime, there is still a need for a reliable data storage option in the long-term.
Tape storage satisfies that need but still offers economic and practical advantages as a reliable option for long-term data preservation of large volumes of data. In fact, current LTO tape drives can store as much as 6 Terabytes – that’s around 1,500 90-minute movies.
Tape Storage Still Favoured By Some
Tape is still used by a variety of major industries where loss of data could have catastrophic social and economic consequences. The most obvious is the high-powered computing industry, which needs to store vast amounts of critical data and have fast, simple access to it.
Healthcare organizations also have to store huge quantities of sensitive medical data, not least x-rays and scans whose high resolutions are growing higher as technology develops.
Equally, the media and entertainment sector archives a huge amount of film footage, keeping in to hand to be used at relevant times. Think special reports on global events like the deaths of Princess Diana, Michael Jackson and Fidel Castro.
5 Advantages That Means Tape Storage Is Still Relevant
The Cloud clearly is a cost-effective method for small businesses to store, backup and archive their data, especially over short periods. But with large organizations having to divide their data into the ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ to satisfy both data retention and data access demands, tape is still a hugely relevant storage method that maintains a critical place in a Data Storage Strategy.