Storage Technology Explained: Key Questions About Tape Storage
ComputerWeekly, Thursday, June 6th, 2024
We look at the benefits of tape storage - low cost, inherent security, excellent energy efficiency - the workloads it is best for, and how tape fits a wider storage strategy
Magnetic tape storage has a long history as a storage medium, being the primary way to store computer data from the 1960s to the 1980s. More recently, tape has been most closely associated with backup and long-term storage and archiving.
Those applications make the most of tape's key attributes, which include durability and low cost, but it also arguably underestimates tape's true potential. Recent advances in capacity and performance mean tape supports a much wider range of applications and use cases than it is often given credit for. Tape can also play an important role in defence against ransomware.