Fujifilm and IBM developed a new linear magnetic tape that will store 29.5 billion bits per square inch or 35TB per tape. This is a new worlds record for data density. This new tape is 44 times more dense than the current fourth generation LTO tape.

This is evidence that data tape rotation and storage is alive and well.

Almost every data center relies on an offsite tape rotation service for disaster recovery. Over time a great deal of used tapes build up and need to be disposed of. There is a market for these used tapes but is recycling really the right approach for a companies data? In my opinion, no. This data is too important just to trust that it was properly erased. The only sensible solution is to have a hard drive shredding service turn your tapes into little bits that can't be recovered. But don't take my word on it; here is what Tech Target has to say on the subject.

Cloud computing has been all the talk in the technology world. More and more applications are moving to the cloud and taking their data with them. But is cloud computing really enterprise ready? I would agree with Jon Brodkin that it isn't. Look no further than the recent outage and loss of data on sidekicks.

Enterprise data is much too important to be entirely trusted on a cloud network. The problem is not only with reliability but with security.

The cloud looks like it is coming but for now make sure you have always have access to your data. And don't forget to have a tape rotation plan to an off-site facility.

DataChambers has announced the addition of a tape vault in Charlotte, NC. The 900-square-foot facility will securly store electronic media. DataChambers provides tape rotation and backup tape storage to business the Charlotte area. The company already operates a media vault in Winston-Salem.Full Story.

With all the stories about backup tapes being lost and stolen many people are now asking why they are even being used anymore. Gary Anthes of Computerworld has a great article about why removable magnetic media is not going away anytime soon. What do you think? Does your company plan on moving away from tape rotation? And what are your security procedures?

It is always interesting to watch industries evolve with the Internet. For seven years now I have read that "this" is the year of VoIP (telephone over the internet) only to find out that this wasn't the year.

The same thing is happening in the data storage world. Many people say online backup storage is finally going to overtake tape rotation as the primary solution for disaster recovery. Bolstering this position are the high level players devoting a great deal to this market. Some include Symmantec and Iron Mountain.

While most companies would like to move to an online solution to save costs it still is a big leap to take for the most important data a company owns. I think that the end of tape rotation is near are greatly exaggerated.

Excuse me while I answer this Skype call.

The cost of off-site storage tape rotation services have lead many a CIO to consider keeping the work in-house. But as Pierre Dorion of SearchStorage.com writes, that may be a big mistake. Tapes require strict temperature and humidity control to protect the information on the tapes. In the end is it really worth saving a few dollars if you end up with a tape that no longer contains any data?