Magnetic Data Tape – Still One of the Safest Most Cost-Effective Storage Options

Contrary to claims that ‘magnetic data tape is dead’ and that cloud is the answer to all storage solutions, a number of big brands are still investing billions in tape backup systems for critical and confidential data. When one looks at the recent spate of high profile hacks and data breaches at giant corporations across the globe, not to mention the ever-present threat of natural disasters, it’s easy to understand why the humble tape is finally getting the red carpet treatment it deserves.

Companies are reinventing tape to further improve performance and data reliability. Japanese electronics giant Sony, for example, recently announced a prototype tape capable of holding 185TB of data, which is a new record for the highest storage density in the magnetic tape medium. Sony’s investment in this new cassette tape format further cements the importance of tapes in the tech world.

There’s long been a backup war between tape, disk and cloud have also come into play, and much has been written and said as to which storage system is superior. Most storage analysts will agree that there are far more benefits of using tape over other storage solutions, even in a modern era.

Whenever information is kept on a live platform there is always the risk that the data can be compromised. The safety of clients’ data is always a top priority. Iron Mountain has extensively researched the pros and cons of tape storage and found tapes to be one of the best in terms of storage back-up and the operating costs are significantly less.

Magnetic data tape can cost up to 15 times less in many applications (for larger operations, the savings increase in proportion to the volume of archival data in storage). Tapes can store large amounts of data, are easier to store and transport, boast excellent write speeds and are incredibly reliable. In fact, almost fool proof. A tape has a 99,999% success rate when it comes to keeping confidential data safe. Tapes can’t be hacked.

When comparing tapes to cloud solutions in particular (accessing data and programmes over the Internet instead of your computer’s hard drive), tape wins again.

Tapes are much cheaper than cloud solutions and consume a fraction of the power that cloud uses. The Internet is fast running out of space for online storage anyway, which means the lifespan of the cloud is uncertain. For both large and small scale businesses that need protection from sabotage or data theft, that could spell potential disaster down the line. Cloud makes your small business dependent on the reliability of your Internet connection, which means when it’s offline, you’re offline. Because cloud data is accessible from anywhere on the Internet, should a data breach occurs, business data can be compromised.

Some companies steer away from magnetic data tapes because they are not easily accessible in a rush, can be more time consuming, and in some instances can get tangled and damaged. The solution to these potential problems is finding a backup storage company that is able to manage your tapes.

To keep backup media safe it is best to have it stored offsite at a secure, climate-controlled facility. Iron Mountain, for example, has been around for many decades and many of South Africa’s largest companies trust us with their data.