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Are Tapes Still Alive in 2018?

The tape is the oldest data archival method and technology. Released in 2000, the technology provides the ability to store any type of data for a very long period of time. It is also known as Linear Tape-Open (LTO) and Ultrium too. Basically consists of a magnetic strip on which the data can be written with the help of a special data writer called drive. To save the magnetic strip from external temperatures, it is enclosed in a box called cartridge. It can not only safeguard against external effects but also prevents it from breaking. The main purpose of LTO in the business world is for data backups. Since Clouds and SSDs have come to the surface, many believe Ultrium is on the way towards it burial. However, many think it is going to last a bit longer. The debate may continue, but since the initial release of Ultrium in 2000 and then LTO 2 Tapes in 2003 to this date, it is still used by many multinational organizations as a primary backup technology. Here we will talk about the crucial factors that are still keeping it alive in the storage world of 2018.

Long Term Storage:

The biggest edge Linear Tape-Open has over other technologies is that it can store tons of information for 2 to 3 decades without any hassle. This is what most organizations demand as most of the time enterprise-level firms need to store bulk information at their disposal without any changes for very long periods of time. So, instead of using Solid State Drive or Cloud where either you get a very little lifetime or have to pay each month for using the service, leveraging the tapes is the best option to store any type of data for longer retention needs.

Largest Capacity:

Ultrium 1 started with just a 100GB of this time, I must mention, but now in 2018, it can store up to 30 terabytes of important information. Quantum is the company that regulates and releases the generations or versions of Linear Tape-Open, in 2017 it released the 8th generation of the technology that can store any type of 30 terabytes of information. It can store 12 terabytes of raw data without any need to put several devices together. No other backup technology matches this feature of the tapes, and it’s the main reason, LTO 2 tapes and all other generations are still alive in this world of 2018.

Speedy & Quick Data Transfers:

The charm in magnetic storage doubled every time the new version of Ultrium was released. Starting with its initial release in 2000, the technology only offered 20 MBs transfer rate while the latest release made us able to transfer files and information at a blazing fast speed of 1.5 Gigabytes for uncompressed data which is the so far the fastest data transfer capability. No other technology is near to this amazing fast response time of tapes.

Portable:

Another very great edge this magnetic technology offers is the portability and ability to ship anytime and anywhere with ease and no fear of any loss or damage. It is very portable and at the same time very durable so you can easily ship them from one place to another without damaging the data or the hardware.

Safety:

The safety features of the technology are also an important factor in keeping it alive to this data. It provides the best security, unlike other technologies that provide poor safety and security for backup itself.

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3 Top Backup and Data Storage Technologies at a Glance

Before setting up any data archival or backup system, the very first consideration to make is what type of storage media can be used. The question could be further divided into small parts to get an educated answer. What type of data to be stored and for how long data needs to be stored are the primary questions that must be asked of the administrator? It will then set the course for the proper functioning of the system and provide better results in the future. Though setting the course will help to get the right media system nevertheless it will have some impact on the performance of overall system. The impact could be positive or negative depending on how you interact with the system. There are many different media which have been used and are continued to using, but here in this post, we will only have a look at few prominent of them that were widespread in a particular time or industry. So let’s start moving towards the topic:

Cloud: The debate about cloud being a method or medium is of no use? Analyzing the characteristics, we can classify that it is both the medium and the method. Online storage is becoming popular not only in the corporate world but it is also making space among the naive users. The commonality of the cloud is one feature which is making it an easy to use technology while other lack this feature or may require some additional knowledge to be spread. There are many pros and cons of using clouds, but the trend seems to be going in favor of it nowadays as more and more personal users and small-scale organizations shifting their loads towards it. The main advantage it has is that the client doesn’t need to prepare anything rather the service suppliers take the heck of fighting with the hardware. All the user has to do is access the data from the remote server whenever needed. But as every technology has certain limitation cloud has it’s too: power cut, internet lost, etc. Linear Tape-Open: While all other types of tape backup are on the way to die slowly, LTO 5 Tapes and all other later versions are still used in most large organizations and data centers as primary data storage, backup, and archival purpose. LTO is the most enhanced form of storage and provides greater performance and storage capacities as other media such DLT or Super-DLT. Quantum, company which regulates LTO announced 10 generations out of which 8th and the latest generation was released at the end of 2017. LTFS is the file system that can be used with any type of Ultrium technology but works only with LTO 5 tapes and greater versions. The tape is most secure, portable, fast and having a large capacity data storage system. Disks and optical drives: The rival for cloud when in personal use or small business is a disk-based system or optical drives such as hard drive. Media such as DVD and Blu-Ray standard are cheap alternatives but may cost heavily in the end as have greater effects of external factors on them. Scratches and cracks most commonly infect these types of media. The single benefit is they are cheap. However, disk-based systems provide both low cost and longer stability in local or small business needs. But the main backlash includes a greater data retrieval time which is death for any business.

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LTO Vs. Hard Drives: The Ultimate Offline Backup Technology

Data is the most valuable asset for any organization, company or corporate outfit. Companies invest hundreds of dollars keeping the important files and information safe. As this data is in huge numbers, the need is for such technology that can not only archive bulk data but also for a longer run. Like every other problem, technology has solved this problem too. Three different technologies fulfill this need for professional outfits Hard Drive, Tape Drive, and Cloud storage. All of these have a different working way and different plans, pros, and cons as well. Disks and tapes are offline backup methods whereas cloud is an online one. Here is this guide we will overview both Linear Tape Open and hard drives. The latest version of Ultrium is LTO 8 Tapes whereas disks feature SSD as the latest model.

Tapes Vs. Disks as a Backup Method:

There are different metrics on which we can find out which methodology works great for corporate data needs.

Storage Capacity:

If we take storage as a metric between traditional disks and tapes, LTO tends to outshine hard drives. SSD, however, comes near to the storage figures provided by the LTO’s latest generation. But it has a price and lifespan that doesn’t match the need of the business world. LTO 8 tapes can archive 12TB of uncompressed data whereas 30TB of compressed data. The largest data number that SSD can store is 16TB.

Data Transfer and Performance:

Traditional hard disks are nowhere to the performance and data transfer rates benchmarked by the tapes. SSD, however, can perform significantly close to the performance of magnetic Ultrium. Quantum has promised 10 generations of Ultrium, and so far 8 have been released out of which the latest can provide data speed around 400MBs raw data and 1.5TB uncompressed data.

Portability:

Both traditional and modern disk-based backup technologies are less portable as compared to the tapes. Being more disk-based driven hard drives are open to any kind of damage other than a magnetic tape in tape storage which cannot be damaged in transport. Rather LTO’s are more open to the threat of temperature and humidity that can damage the data written over it.

Safety of the Data:

Data drives provide great safety for the data however data tapes can provide even better. Hard drives need to be connected every time to the server somehow to keep functioning as par, but LTO can be easily disjointed from the server and doesn’t need server after all. So, it can provide more safety from threats such as ransomware or virus attacks.

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Why use Tape Backup and How Long it May Last?

Technology is the most versatile field of human life. We see different versions, vendors, and types of similar technology being released around the world. Similar is the case with backup technology. There are several techniques used to back enterprise or personal data. At a personal level, a typical hard-disk may be the best solution, however, for the large organization this technology may not work. Another type of data storage technology is tapes. It is used to backup large amounts of data. Initially released in 2000, it has 8 generations available for general public. The consortium, the company that regulates this technology, has planned to introduce 10 generation of which 8 have been released. At the start, only a few organizations and data centers used this technology. However, LTO 6 Tapes changed the game with its release in 2012. It provided 2.5TB of data storage with a blazing speed of transfer rate counting in several hundred MBs.

Why use Tape as a Backup?

Fast: Tape technology is faster than other technology, and the edge counts huge for large organizations that rely on speed and accuracy of data transfer. The only technology that can compete with tapes regarding speed is the SSD. Traditional hard-drives or cloud storage are nowhere near the speed of this technology.

Cheap: Being fast is a great edge the tape has over the traditional disk backups, however, if we compare the prices, hard drives are cheaper than tapes. Cloud storage and SSD are close in data transfer performance, but they certainly demand huge prices. Tape, however, is much cheaper substitute than an SSD or cloud.

Reliable: No matter, LTO 6 tapes or any other generation, the tape is the most reliable way of storing digital information safely. It can protect the data from every kind of theft or damage. One can easily disjoint the tape from the cartridge or the automated server so any virus attacks could not find a path to it.

How Long Does Tape Last? The question is not very easy to answer as many external and internal factors may influence. Most of the time, the life of tape may vary as it greatly depends on the way the tape is treated and used. But a typical Linear Tape-Open may last till 5000 cartridge loads, 250 times use, and years long service that may count to 15-30. This is just an estimation of the Ultrium’s lifespan; actual figures may be different depending on internal and external factors.

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What is LTO and how to use it for video backups? What is LTO?

LTO stands for Linear Tape Open. It is basically a backup system used most often in organizations and data centers. It is one of oldest methods to store important files and data. It was the only option before disk drives and flash memories. Hard disk drives were launched back in 2000’s and had made way into the backup world but still, tape remains the most valuable asset to most big enterprise level organizations. It uses its file system just like any other system does. Windows has FAT/NTFS file system, Mac has HFS+ similarly LTO has its own its system is known as Linear Tape File System. There are many different versions of this technology but the used of them all was LTO 5 Tapes. It has the capacity of storing 1.5 terabytes of uncompressed data and 3 terabytes of uncompressed data. This is the most sold version of the technology and suitably used in many data centers and enterprises.

Here are some quick know-hows about the tape technology: • The version we are talking about is also known Ultrium. • It has a cover to protect it and both of them together is known as a cartridge. • A drive that can read this technology is called Ultrium drive. • It uses an automated procedure to verify the data after writing. • It has different versions and the vendors keep updating the technology to meet the ever-growing needs of professional outfits. • Main vendors of this mainstream backup technology are IBM, HP, and Tandberg. • A drive can read the data from tape in its two previous generations and the one that is compatible. 

What is it used for? Linear Tape open is mostly used to create data backups and archives. It is the best protection against most the world’s worst viruses, malware and ransomware’s.

Versions of Ultrium: Ultrium has total versions which were released one after the other to increase the performance and data storage capabilities. The versions are named LTO – 1-8 and the version number depicts the storage and processing capabilities. How to use tapes for video backups?

The most stable version LTO-5 tapes are most commonly used for backup videos. It is the best solution for storing videos and image files as it has greater and better storage and processing capabilities as that of hard disk drives. The 5th version can store up to 1.5 TB of uncompressed data, on the other hand, you may need multiple hard drives to store this amount to data.

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Are LTO 7 Tapes Store the 15 TB Data for more than 20 Years

As of late the alleged "LTO" Technology Provider Companies HP, IBM and Quantum reported the LTO Ultrium arrange age 7. LTO is a framework that has experienced many changes, in security, usability, and increment in information stockpiling. Many have been sitting tight for this refresh and now at long last, it is at your doorstep.

Is this something for you?

With regards to financially savvy information security for generation organizations, LTO is the term most will utilize. It is ordinarily realized that hard drives that aren't spun occasionally, break because of their mechanical form. LTO tape stockpiling, be that as it may, has a time span of usability of up to 20 years!

While a 3TB Hard drive will cost you in the area of $100, an LTO tape would cost $20-$40. The issue with LTO tape stockpiling in the film business has been its information limit. With 4K, 6K, and 8K well under way, the LTO-6 tape framework has turned out to be outdated, with a 6.25TB packed limit, with pressure meaning a 2.5:1 proportion, and, accordingly, a 2.5TB crude limit. With the current declaration of LTO age 7, the information limit has been expanded to a 15TB compacted limit and a crude limit of 6TB. LTO-6's compacted information exchange rate is 400MB/sec or 160MB/sec crude. LTO-7 will achieve 750MB/sec packed (300MB/sec crude).

The jump in the limit from LTO-6 has been an expert with an enhanced tape media detail with more grounded attractive properties, and by including twice the same number of reading/compose heads with enhanced servo configuration to accomplish a higher track thickness.

The LTO association discharged a guide in 2014, which demonstrates their objective information limit and speed rates for the up and coming ages, with LTO-8 supposably doable in 2018/2019 and LTO-9 out of 2020-2022.

Generally, any LTO age is in reverse good, and keeps up all the past age's usefulness, for example, LTFS simplified record get.

SAMSUNG 16TB SSD

Samsung 16TB SSD presented at FMS

Regardless of whether LTO wi, in any case, e be a definitive move down filing stockpiling is yet to be resolved. With Samsung's current 16TB 2.5″ SSD declaration (but an extremely expensive capacity answer for saying the minimum, with 1TB SSD costing $1000), it beyond any doubt will be an intense rivalry sooner rather than later.

Direct Tape-Open (LTO) speaks to a trio of innovation supplier organizations: HP, IBM, and Quantum. It works with them and tape providers like Fujifilm to create tape media and drive determinations. LTO 7 Tape media and drives are actually attainable and it will enthusiasm to see, which tech monsters in the media business will receive this new LTO arrange in mid-2016.

On the off chance that you get a kick out of the chance to get your hands on LTO tape stockpiling today:

LTO-6 SAS Drives begin at around $2000 LINK and a Thunderbolt Version goes for $3600. Then again an LTO drive with a Thunderbolt connector for $2600 aggregate may be an alternative.

$2600 for the drive is absolutely not so modest, but rather over the long haul, in the event that you have loads of filing to do and with the additional advantage of security it may be justified, despite all the trouble.