New Tapes Could Have Huge Capacities
In recent months, some have questioned the effectiveness of tape backup solutions. These naysayers claim that other methods of data backup have greater capacity than tapes. While that claim had some truth to it, new developments have moved the needle back in favor of backup tapes as the most successful way to guarantee data is not lost in the event of a disaster.
New tapes could hold 3,700 times more data than Blu-Ray
The primary knock against data tapes was their limited capacity in comparison to discs. However, Sony recently announced it has developed new magnetic tape material that can hold 148GB per square inch – far more than the previous max of 29.5GB per square inch, reported Extreme Tech. For the purposes of this analysis, a data tape built using the new material could hold as much as 185TB. Yes, that’s 185 terabytes of data – a mark that would be 3,700 times higher than current Blu-Ray standards.
For the purposes of backup tape management, this new, high-capacity technology would be a major upgrade. It would mean that companies could more easily track their backup stores and comply with regulatory audits – especially combined with a robust, automated backup management platform.
Companies are increasingly turning to data backup as a service – using systems developed by a third party for tape tracking, data migration and all other aspects of data backup, according to Lifehacker. In this way, IT departments have less to worry about when the auditor comes knocking. They can be confident that all their backup solutions are ready to go at a moment’s notice.
One such backup management system is Vertices from B&L Associates. This platform allows an organization to achieve uniform tracking, adherence to regulations, optimal security and easy access to storage.