Every company approaches recordkeeping in their own way. From digitization to document storage and eventual destruction, there are many ways to manage your documents. With all of the available solutions out there, it can be difficult to choose the best option for your business.
When it comes to data storage, the same applies. For some companies, modern solutions work best. For others, legacy methods like tape storage are preferred. These older storage mediums do have a unique advantage over digital solutions like cloud storage — cybersecurity isn’t a concern. Physical storage mediums can protect against cyber attacks in a way digital mediums cannot.
That said, the downside of physical storage mediums is that they wear down over time. To help maintain the quality and integrity of the physical medium, and the data it holds, tape rotation is employed. This tape storage strategy can be fairly involved, so we’ve broken it down below.
What Is Tape Storage?
Tape storage became popular in the 1960’s, serving as the primary method for securing and backing up data. Large volumes of data were duplicated and stored on magnetic tape cartridges in secure, off-site facilities. These tapes provided a reliable backup in the case of a system crash or other issues.
Despite the introduction of modern cloud storage solutions, backup tapes have remained popular due to their archival stability. For both large and small organizations, backup tapes are considered an inexpensive option for larger data capacities. Often referred to as tape vaulting, tape storage is still a valuable data backup method.
What Is Tape Rotation?
Tape vaulting providers often include regular maintenance measures for their customers. Tape rotation is one of these measures, serving to help protect your data and the magnetic tape that stores it. It sounds simple, but there are actually a number of different frequencies — also called schedules or schemes — that tape rotation can follow.
Most companies use one of four rotation schedules: the Grandfather-Father-Son, the six-tape, the First In, First Out, or the Tower of Hanoi scheme.
Grandfather-Father-Son (GFS)
The Grandfather-Father-Son (GFS) is the most widely used scheme for backup tape rotation. It combines security with ease of implementation. Its simplicity comes from running on a traditional calendar. On the last day of every month, a full backup is performed and labeled ‘grandfather.’ This tape is stored permanently offsite.
On the last day of every week, a full backup, called the ‘father,’ is done and stored offsite. Then an incremental backup is done daily, called the ‘son.’ Son tapes can be stored onsite or offsite, depending on the volume of data changes.
Altogether, you have four son tapes (assuming a five-day work week), three father tapes, and a new grandfather tape every month. This method involves using more tapes to backup information daily, weekly, and monthly.
Companies use the son tapes for daily backup, father tapes for weekly storage, and grandfather tapes for monthly archival. Many companies opt for permanent storage on a quarterly or yearly basis with the grandfather tapes.
Six-tape Rotation
The six-tape rotation method involves six different tapes used for each day of the week. Many small businesses that do not need to back up high volumes of data use this type of tape rotation schedule. It usually consists of using four tapes for incremental and differential backups between Monday and Thursday.
This is the easier scheme to implement, but it lacks the redundancy of a GFS tape rotation scheme. It is best used by small businesses with limited data needs. The system works like this:
- Five tapes are labeled for each day of the week, assuming a five day work week.
- The sixth tape is also labeled Friday.
- A full backup is taken each Friday and an incremental on Monday through Thursday.
- The Friday tapes are rotated and stored offsite.
First In, First Out (FIFO)
During a First In, First Out (FIFO) backup tape rotation scheme, the newest or most recently modified files are saved on the oldest tape in the set. In other words, the tape that contains the least useful previous data is overwritten.
When using a FIFO backup system, the backup depth goes as far back as the number of tapes being used. For example, if 14 tapes are being used for daily backups, then the past 14 days of data will be available.
Tower of Hanoi
The Tower of Hanoi backup tape rotation method involves full backup tape rotation using five separate tape sets. Many companies avoid this method due to its complexity. This method does offer greater security and flexibility for full backup sessions on a nightly, weekly, and monthly basis.
It’s the most secure tape rotation scheme, but also the most complex one. Here’s how it works:
- The A tapes are used for a full backup every other day
- The B tapes are used for a full backup every 4th day
- The C tapes are used for a full backup every 8th day
- The D and E tapes are alternated for a full backup every 16th day
Let’s look at it another way:
- Tape A is used every odd numbered day.
- Tape B is used every other even numbered day.
- Tape C is used every third numbered day.
- Tape D and E are used every fourth even numbered day.
- The B, C, D and E tapes are stored offsite.
The confusing piece here is that this rotation method doesn’t operate on a traditional work-week calendar. If you implement this schedule, it is wise to have automated reminders to help everyone keep track of what tape is to be used each day.
The Benefits of Regular Backup Tape Rotation
Backup tape rotation can provide a number of benefits for large and small businesses alike. At its most basic, backup tape rotation ensures that your records are backed up, and then rotated as frequently as you need them to be. Because of its physical form, tape backups can’t be hacked into or deleted like digital data can. And with secure offsite storage facilities being the common place where these tapes are kept, it’s a space-saving solution.
Tapes also have an average lifespan of more than 10 years, so they’re ideal for long-term data retention. This can be incredibly useful for retaining information that has long-term retention requirements. Pair this with its cost-effectiveness, and you’ve got a solid option for strong data in bulk.
What to Expect From a Tape Rotation Provider
If you’ve never worked with a professional backup tape rotation provider before, here’s what you can expect. First, all tapes are picked up or dropped off in secure collection bins. This helps ensure the chain of custody, and it minimizes the risk of a data breach due to accidental misplacement.
After the provider picks up your tapes and securely transports them to the media vault facility, each one is scanned for tracking. As the provider goes through each subsequent step of the process, their steps are documented in detail to ensure the chain of custody is maintained and any chance of a data breach is avoided. The tapes are then stored and rotated according to your company’s requirements.
Record Nations Offers Backup Tape Rotation
Finding the right tape storage and rotation provider does not need to be a complicated process. Record Nations makes finding the right backup tape rotation service easy.
At Record Nations, we take all the hassle out of finding a tape vaulting service that works for your company. We will help you figure out what you’re looking for and put you in touch with secure local tape storage and vaulting experts, and make sure that you have the access you need to retrieve a backup tap if you need it.
To get started, fill out the form to the right, or give us a call at (866) 385-3706. Within the next few minutes, you will be contacted by up to four tape rotation and storage experts who can assist you.
