Businesses With Multiple Backup Tape Archives Can Benefit From a Cohesive Strategy
Backup storage tape is extremely durable, which is both a positive and a negative for IT managers at companies that use storage tape. On one hand, TechTarget pointed out that the resilience of backup storage tape can allow this medium to function without issue for years, even decades. On the other hand, this very resiliency leads to IT staff members treating backup tapes like they are invincible and putting a few years of wear on the tape in only just a few days of handing the storage media.
Without a clear strategy for managing backup tape storage, caring for large archives across multiple businesses can be extremely difficult. That’s why comprehensive tape management requires backup software solutions like Vertices, which are designed to assist companies in managing, tracking and documenting backup tape information between multiple sites. Businesses without the tools and the planning necessary to properly manage their data storage may also be left exposed to greater risks of human error or compliance issues.
Accurate documentation protects the business from compliance issues
IT managers must always keep industry regulations like HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley in mind, lest they leave their facilities exposed to harsh fines from an auditor. In fact, many businesses must keep copies of all their financial and customer data for anywhere from three to seven years or come under fire from strict legal penalties. Assuming that these types of highly specific regulations will be met by chance is poor planning on the part of IT managers. Thankfully, this process can be simplified greatly if companies are willing to deploy a dedicated backup tape management solution.
Greater organization minimizes storage errors and handling mistakes
All types of damage can befall backup storage tanks unless handling policies are outlined and maintained digitally. Mistakenly using magnetic tapes along with exposure to dirt, dust or cigarette smoke and even strong sunlight can cause permanent damage to tapes and comppromise an important piece of client information. When kept in top condition, backup tapes can last for up to 30 years, according to Enterprise Storage Forum. Ensuring that tape movement occurs within the parameters of the company policy, and ensuring employees uphold policy via tape tracking, will go a long way toward preventing data loss through human error.
Life is easy when a single platform supports the industry’s top applications
Efficient tape management of archives stretched between multiple locations is nearly impossible when each facility is speaking its own language. If one facility depends on Symantec NetBackup while the others deploy CommVault, it becomes significantly harder for an IT manager to treat the entire company’s backup tape profile as a single archive. Deploying solutions like Vertices, which are fluent in a long list of common storage applications, provide IT managers with a single platform from which they can monitor every detail of tape storage management.
A quick reconciling of physical media keeps errors from falling through the cracks
Breakdowns in communication and failures of execution in the backup storage process can create instances where a company’s digital records of backup inventory and the physical reality do not match up. If a company’s backup storage strategy has grown disorganized at one location, there’s a good chance the process has experienced slowdown in every location. The right backup storage management solution can automate this process and use barcode scanning to ensure that locating a specific piece of storage is a breeze. With reconciliation simplified, more double-checking can be included into the workflow of IT employees.