Tape Backup: History, Advantages and use Cases

Tape backup is a data storage and protection method to backup important data to a safer place. Tape backup uses a magnetic strip called tape which is used to backup the important data and stored in a cartridge for processing. It is called LTO (Linear-Tape-Open) or Tape backup. This type of backup may be done as per the demands, automatically or manually. They are used everywhere from the personal backups to the organizational and data center needs. To cover the needs of both the personal and organizational user, Consortium, a tape licensing firm, distributes it to different generations. Till 2017 as we speak, 8 generation has been released. LTO generations represent the processing power as well as the storage ability. 1st generation tapes have the lowest storage and processing power, LTO 2 Tapes than double the capabilities of generation 1 and the story continues. Consortium has announced the 10 versions or generation but still, only 8 of them are released, the latest being the most powerful with storage capability of 12TB native and 30TB compressed. It has the transfer rate of 470MBps native and 1180MBps compressed.

The Advantages of using Tape Backups:

Like every other technology, tapes also have both advantages and disadvantages. Many people use this as a primary backup method while many organizations rely on disk-based storage methods. Backing-up data using tape is very easy and it can be kept safe anywhere.

Using Linear-Tape-Open as the primary data storage method could also safeguard the important data against potentially harmful viruses and other shareware software that may compromise the data.

The data transfer rate for tape is very much faster than other data storage and archival methods. Disk drives may come near the tape but the tape is still very much better in terms of storage and transfer capabilities.