Imagine a digital world where storage isn’t just about speed and accessibility but also longevity and affordability. With the advancement of technology, modern storage devices have replaced tapes. But have you ever thought tape is still used in the world of storage devices?
In this article, we’ll explore the present use of tape backups, give tips for using tape backups, and discuss various amazing facts.
The study showed that Storage Market Size is projected to reach USD 9.39 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.8%: Straits Research that the global tape storage market is expected to reach $6.6 billion by 2025, indicating a steady demand for tape technology.
Why Tape Backups are still Used?
With the growing digitalization, you might be wondering why people will rely on tape backups. But tape backups have their specialization. Tapes are often stored offline, they offer an extra layer of protection against cyber threats like ransomware.
Here are a few reasons for using tape backups:
1. Cost- Effectiveness: Tape drives are cheaper than hard drives or SSDs. If you want to store data for a long period, Tape backup is the most effective way to store all your critical data. It is especially useful in emergencies and disasters.
According to a Gartner report, Use Total Cost of Ownership to Optimize Costs and Increase Savings, the total cost of ownership for tape storage is about 30-50% lower than that of other storage methods, especially when it comes to large-scale data archiving.
2. Longevity: Unlike hard drives or SSDs have a general lifespan of 3 to 5 years tape drives have an extended lifespan of 30 years. You can archive your data for decades without any degradation and corruption. Organizations use tape drives for restoring their data related to finance, healthcare, and government sectors.
Here are a few features of tape drives:
Ideal for Cold Storage Needs
Low Maintenance Requirements
Minimal Data Loss Risks
Dependable in Case of Technological Shifts
Suited for Offsite Storage
3. Amazing Facts: over 80% of companies using tape backups cite longevity as a critical factor, as they can securely store massive volumes of data for years without the risk of digital decay that affects other storage mediums.
4. Scalability: Storing data in tape drives is straightforward, as the business grows companies add extra cartridges to their libraries as the number of data increases. Tape libraries can hold petabytes of data. In large organizations and government institutions, the data are archived in tape drives.
5. Security: In the digital world, where storage is a crucial aspect the main issue arises is to protect the data online. Ransomware attacks, malware attacks, and data corruption have become the major problem to secure your privacy.
Tapes are safe from online cyber threats as the data is stored offline and there is no risk of data corruption and malware attacks.
Benefits of Using Tape Drives:
Multi-layered protection
Disaster recovery
Less risk of physical damage
Backup for critical operations
Flexibility in data retention policies
Note: Some organizations rely on tape libraries that can scale up to one exabyte of data, a volume almost unimaginable with traditional HDD or SSD storage setups.
6. Sustainability: Tape recovery adds to the sustainable development of the planet. Hard drives and SSDs require continuous power to maintain their state. Tape cartridges use energy only when they are written read or written to.
Did You Know: Studies reveal that companies using tape storage can reduce their energy costs associated with data archiving by as much as 60%, supporting both budget and environmental goals.
Tips for Implementing Tape Backups in 2024
Combine your tape drive with modern technologies.
Prefer offline storage, to protect your data from cyber threats.
Make sure to check your tape drives to confirm your data can be restored without any issues.
Conclusion
Tape drives may be known as old-fashioned and out-of-date storage alternatives, but these are very sustainable, and provide unmatched protection to your data, for a long period at an affordable rate. In 2024, relying on tape isn’t about sticking to the past, it’s about recognizing its continuing value and adopting it as a forward-thinking solution.
Are you ready to add the security of tape backups to your data strategy? Contact Techchef today for a tailored solution that keeps your data protected, efficient, and future-ready. Reach out to us, at 1800-313-1737, and let’s craft a backup strategy that secures your data for a long time.
