If your business still uses backup tapes to store information, chances are good that your data is quite valuable and you need to keep it protected and sustainable. While many organizations are choosing to convert their data held in backup tapes to more modern mediums, the transition can be tricky and sometimes it just isn’t feasible to do so right away.
Whether you plan to continue the storage of your information on backup tapes or are buying time until you can make the conversion to digital, you’ll want to make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your backup tapes safe.
The Benefits of Using Backup Tapes Today
From a technological perspective, backup tape is an outdated storage method when compared to more modern data storage options that are available. However, backup tapes do still have some value for businesses today.
With the size and price of hard drives increasing dramatically over time — alongside the decrease of solid state drives — backup tapes as a primary storage medium are now less common. Despite that, there’s still an industry built around backup tapes and offsite tape vaulting storage for increased longevity.
Familiarity and Ease of Use
One of the main reasons backup tapes are still around today is due to the fact that many companies chose them as their storage medium in the past when it was much more prominent. Since then, some businesses may not have updated their data storage and management systems and converted to a document management system (DMS). Attempting to train employees and push adoption of new systems can take a lot of time and effort. Many companies prefer to continue using systems that are familiar to their teams.
Affordable, High-capacity Storage
For some companies, backup tape storage is a cost-effective method of data storage and protection. Magnetic tape is an ideal storage medium for backing up individual workstations or small networks, mainly because it has the capability of storing high volumes of information at a low price.
Security Against Cyber Threats
Many organizations appreciate the fact that the digital data on a physical tape is protected from cyber threats. In today’s highly digital landscape, this type of security is an important factor to consider. Not all businesses can avoid the dangers that require high levels of cybersecurity. However, those that can have a good reason to hold on to their backup tapes. Plus, backup tapes allow companies to restore and recover lost data immediately in the event of a fire, theft, or natural disaster.
Backup Tape Maintenance Strategies
Backup tapes provide a convenient off-site storage option for those who have high volumes of data to maintain and protect. When it comes to storing data on backup tapes, it’s crucial to ensure the quality and integrity of the magnetic tapes are maintained. This is where tape vaulting and tape rotation come into play.
Tape Vaulting
Tape vaulting is the high-level method of storing backup tapes in an offsite storage facility. However, there is more to it than simply keeping them hidden away in a safe and secluded area. Additional concerns of degradation and accidents can dramatically reduce the lifespan of your information. This is why tape rotation is used — to maintain the quality and integrity of the tape and the data it holds. Most tape vaulting storage providers offer tape rotation as part of the storage service.
Tape Rotation
Tape rotation is a commonly used method that protects the information stored on backup tapes. Rotation protects the tape from excessive wear and damage, which could make it impossible to retrieve data. A good tape rotation strategy ensures that your company can access its data without fail.
During the rotation process, the tapes are either picked up or dropped off and stored in secure, locked bins until they are ready to be copied over to new tapes. Tape rotation requires a regular schedule, often with added expenses that offer greater security against disaster.
The frequency of rotation depends on whether your company relies on data storage and retrieval. Some companies opt for daily tape rotations and backups for highly-sensitive data. Those with high volumes of sensitive data may require a complex and secure rotation schedule, while small businesses may only need to implement something simple and cost-effective.
Tape rotation is usually the ideal option to keep your data protected with information backed up regularly while still housing your magnetic tapes in a secure location.
In-house Maintenance
While tape vaulting and tape rotation are both part of effective and secure offsite storage solutions, they’re not the only options available. If your business can afford the space, you can choose to simply house your magnetic tapes on site. Smaller businesses have also been known to store their backup tapes in a safety-deposit box at a local bank, or in a fireproof vault in their own home. While this may be the most cost-effective option, considering there are no additional fees associated with paying for a storage service, there are some inherent risks involved as well.
Offsite tape storage facilities are climate-controlled and monitored to increase the lifespan of the magnetic tapes as well as endorsing an atmosphere that is safe from natural disasters and theft. Your on-site storage capabilities may not meet these same standards, thus allowing for the possibility of your tapes’ lifespan to decrease. This is why larger companies may choose to contract with a vendor that specializes in offsite storage. Companies dealing with confidential information may prefer to use offsite backup services to ensure the information is secure.
Company data is an invaluable asset that cannot be taken lightly when it comes to maintenance and protection. The most important thing for any tape rotation system is to get started. A poorly designed one is far better than being left with no backup at all. Keep at least one tape stored in a secure offsite location. An adequate backup tape rotation plan, in conjunction with secure tape vaulting services, directly minimizes the risks that come with using magnetic tapes.
Tape Storage and Rotation With Record Nations
Are you thinking about using tape vaulting and backup tape rotation solutions to store your business data? Perhaps you’re also looking to digitize your documents or securely destroy records that have reached their retention requirements. Either way, Record Nations has you covered.
We’ve got a nationwide network of certified professionals who can help you modernize your document management system. To learn more about backup tape vaulting and rotation services, including free quotes from local contractors near you, give Record Nations a call at (866) 385-3706 or fill out the form on the right.
