Why Tape is a Modern Choice
Why organizations trust tape for long-term retention at scale
Overview
As data volumes grow exponentially and cyber threats intensify, forward-thinking organizations are reevaluating their storage strategies to increase capacity and strengthen resiliency. Tape is a vital component of modern data architectures because it offers unmatched advantages for long-term retention, cost control, and security.
Tape on the Rise: More Data, More Demand
Tape storage isn’t just holding steady — it’s growing faster than ever. In 2024, record-breaking shipments representing a 15.4% increase over 2023 proved that more organizations are turning to tape to handle explosive data growth, control costs, and strengthen cyber resilience. With its scalability, security, and sustainability, tape is meeting the moment and powering the future of long-term data protection.
Key Benefits of Tape Media
Tape remains a trusted and strategic choice for secure, scalable, and cost-effective data protection. Its unique combination of longevity, portability, and offline security makes it an essential part of modern storage strategies — especially for compliance, sustainability, and large-scale archiving. By leveraging tape, businesses can safeguard critical information while optimizing cost and operational efficiency.
Lower Long-Term Cost
Tape media delivers the lowest total cost of ownership for long-term data storage, especially when managing massive data volumes at scale. With significantly lower acquisition and operating costs than disk or cloud, tape offers an economical solution for archiving data that must be retained for years. Its durability, longevity, and minimal energy usage make it ideal for reducing storage expenses without compromising reliability or accessibility.
Versatility
Affordable, reliable, and highly portable, tape remains a trusted solution for both backup and archiving needs. Its removable media can be stored off-site for added protection, while LTO technology’s write-once, read-many (WORM) capability ensures permanent, tamper-proof data storage. With a clear roadmap for future LTO generations, tape continues to evolve, making it an adaptable choice for meeting compliance requirements, safeguarding critical information, and supporting long-term data strategies.
Cyber Resilience & Air-Gap Protection
Tape offers built-in cyber resilience by creating a physical air gap between your data and online threats. Once stored offline, tape media is completely isolated from networks, making it immune to ransomware and other cyberattacks. This offline protection ensures that critical backups remain safe, unaltered, and ready for recovery — providing an essential layer of defense in any comprehensive data protection strategy.
Data Sovereignty
Tape media helps organizations maintain full data sovereignty by keeping information physically stored and controlled within chosen geographic or jurisdictional boundaries. Unlike cloud-based storage, tape allows you to know exactly where your data resides, ensuring compliance with local regulations and industry mandates. This control protects sensitive information, reduces risk, and supports governance policies without sacrificing accessibility or security.
Regulatory Compliance
Tape media supports stronger compliance by offering secure, long-term retention that meets strict regulatory requirements. With features like write-once, read-many (WORM) technology, organizations can create tamper-proof records that cannot be altered or deleted. Its proven reliability and long shelf life ensure data remains intact and accessible for decades, helping meet industry mandates while protecting sensitive information against loss, corruption, or unauthorized changes.
Sustainability
With its long 30-year shelf life, proven reliability, and built-in security features, tape is an ideal choice for both short- and long-term data protection. Unlike disk systems that constantly draw power, tape media consumes no energy while stored, making it an inherently eco-friendly option. This not only lowers operating costs but also supports sustainability goals without sacrificing performance or durability.
Resources
Tape Technology Resources
Blog: Is One Tape Backup Enough?
How to match data protection strategies with business value.
Webinar: Revolutionizing Tape Storage: Intro to LTO-10
Spectra Certified Tape Media
Tape Drive Technology
Tape: The Coolest Cold Storage
Your data deserves better—call now and find out why tape delivers.
