Tape Backup Service | RDX Tape Backup | Tape Library LTO

Tape drive backup solutions along with magnetic tape backup advantages and disadvantages will be the topic of today’s article. I will also discuss and compare some of the existing tape formats still in use such as RDX tape backup and the LTO backup system.

While capacities have exploded with regards to tape backup systems, maximum transfer rate has hit a ceiling of about 400 MB/s (native speed) meaning that even if maximum transfer rate doubles (unlikely) then the primary task of tape drive backup solutions should always be for archival purposes where having the data is more important than how quick you can recover it.

A great example here is when online cloud backup systems are also infected with ransomware, malware or viruses. 

They become useless and this is where archival tape drive backup solutions come into play due to the fact they are not impacted as much by these types of disasters.

While you are here, Take a look at some of our other backup-focused content below that may interest you:

Comparing contemporary backup solutions and current backup technology against tape based backup systems and working out if they still have a place today will also be the goal of the discussion.

Something everyone needs to be aware of is that some of the tape technology of today where each tape cassette can hold upwards of 5 terabytes, well, not all is what it seems. For example, the Dell RD1000 RDX cartridges for instance have an SSD inside them.

Tape Backup Service

I often get asked about tape backup services and if they still exist. So before we go any further if that is what you are after, here is a list of companies that provide offsite tape storage. These are companies specifically set up to manage long term storage of tape media in temperature controlled environments.

Do not think that using a local storage shed is an acceptable choice. Magnetic tape backups suffer all sorts of issues over a long time frame from growing mold to shedding. 

Tape backups continue to be the most economical way to handle archive data and of course is the last realistic way to prevent infection from ransomware and malware due to its air gapped nature.

• Iron Mountain - Worldwide 24/7 emergency response
• Tape Ark - Tape To Cloud Mass Migration Services
• Covenco - Offsite And Offline Tape Removal Services
• IBM - Air Gapped Long Term Tape Storage Solutions
• StoreTec - Tape Collection | Tape Rotation | Tape Return
• NovaStor - Tape Backups | Economical Way To Store Cold Data
• RecoveryPoint - Tape Backup Collection Providing Air Gap

Tape Backup Solutions

There are even today a large number of tape backup solution choices from LTO tape backup storage, Dell tape storage as well as RDX tape backups.

You will find most of these tape backup solutions are actually the same thing under a different name. Below are primary technologies still used as well as the benefits and disadvantages of each.

RDX Tape Backups

RDX tape backup technology is basically an SSD drive encased within a cartridge that is required for the SSD to function. Often known as removable hard disk drive storage technology (RHDD)

RDX tape backups work well for anything below 5 terabytes of storage as they are affordable and the performance is up there because it is a solid state device.

The RDX tape drive acts as a dock which electrically connects the cassette and allows for it to function. This is not magnetic tape technology though but thought it should be listed here as it is still widely used and often considered against other tape backup technologies.

HPE StoreEver LTO Ultrium Tape

The current HPE StoreEver LTO-9 cartridges can provide up to 45 terabytes of capacity if compressed (18 terabytes native) This makes them ideal for large amounts of archival data that do not need to be restored fast.

Prices for a StoreEver LTO Ultrium tape drive are around the $8-9K range while a single cassette will set you back around $150.

The cost for this technology is not the hardware or hardware consumables, it is in the expertise required to setup and manage the tape drive technology especially if you are expecting to operate a tape library.

The most important point when it comes to LTO Ultrium tape backups, they are 80% more cost effective over a 10 year period when compared against solid state or cloud backup solutions.

My view is that they should not take the place of your nearline or cloud backup solution, they should be used in conjunction with these. 

The reason being is that tape based backups, while being an awesome solution for archive data and adhering to regulations on retention, do not have the speed required in a disaster recovery scenario to restore fast enough for modern organizations.

IBM TS1170 LTO Tape Backup Systems

The IBM TS1170 is not actually an LTO compatible system. It uses the technology slightly differently and in a way that allows for either 150 terabytes of compressed data per cartridge or 50 terabytes native storage per TS1170 data cartridge making it the grandaddy as far as tape cartridge capacity is concerned.

The IBM TS1170 drive uses IBMs proprietary 3592JF  tape cartridge format (Made by FujiFilm) While only depending on one manufacturer can lead to vendor dependance, the sheer difference in capacities available in this format mean that it is a risk that is worth taking.

Of course with higher capacity cartridges, the cost of ownership goes way down and certainly for large corporations that are required by law to retain significant volumes of data over extended periods of time, this is the only real option.

When you absolutely positively have to save massive amounts of archival data, accept no substitute. Costs are around $220 per 50 terabyte 3592JF cartridge or around $14 per terabyte.

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Magnetic Tape

Below is a list of the main advantages and disadvantages of magnetic tape backup solutions.

What Are The Advantages Of Data Tape

The main advantage of magnetic tape is without doubt its longevity and significant storage potential. Sure it can suffer from mold or magnetic media shedding but that is only if it is improperly stored in sub optimum temperature and humidity conditions.

The significant storage of capability of tape backup solutions is another huge advantage. With quality enterprise tape backup systems pushing 150 terabyte capacity, tape based backups still have a place today and with 500 terabytes and even thousand terabyte storage cartridges having been proven to be viable, the tape backup system is not going anywhere soon.

Security is another huge advantage. Tape backup solutions tend to be better at creating an air gap or air bridge between the online world where ransomware and viruses can infect any backup solution that is attached to the internet.

While a tape backup solution definitely insulates an organization from these threats a little better, they are still not foolproof in this regard.

Another advantage is that as long as the environment including both temperature and humidity are kept within the right parameters, manufacturers like IBM and FujiFilm are willing to give a limited guarantee of 30 years on the backup cartridges that they make.

This is unlikely to include the information on the backup cartridge so it probably only means they will send you a brand new tape backup cartridge so you have to determine the value in that type of warranty. Still it is better than nothing.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Data Tape

The main disadvantage of tape drive solutions and tape backups today is the bottleneck of throughput speed which is fairly well capped at 4 to 500 MB/s in its native form or double that speed for compressed data.

This is at odds with the continued significant improvement in storage capability. The disadvantage means that they are not really suitable for online and nearline backup solutions such as NAS drives or cloud backup solutions.

Cloud backup solutions and NAS solutions should not be seen as alternatives to tape backup. They should be seen as complementary backup technologies that should be used side by side with an effective tape backup system.

The other disadvantage of a tape backup system is that the backup cartridges require a specific environment where both humidity and temperature must remain within specific parameters. 

Without this then the tape backup reliability will drop like a stone and there is a strong possibility that the moment you need your archive backed up tape media, you will find mushrooms growing out of the magnetic tapes.

Conclusion

If anything, tape based backup systems seem to be gaining traction in the area where large volumes of archive data needs to be stored for extended periods of time due to government regulations.

Tape backup systems are still used and will continue to be used for decades to come. Nothing comes close to their cost per terabyte when it comes to storage and the only downside that prevents them still being used as a contemporary primary backup system is their relatively slow transfer speeds.

The tape backup reliability as long as temperature and humidity are controlled where they are stored are measured in decades so if you are an organization that is required by law to retain significant amounts of archived information then a tape drive backup solution is a must.

We have a number of other backup articles specifically related to clients listed below that will provide you with more detailed information on a number of related topics:

https://optimizeddocs.com/blogs/backups/backups-client-index

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