| |
Tape Storage
|
| If
you want to add functionality or
streamline management, combine a
tape solution with our tape
management software. It will help
you get the most out of your
investment and promote ease-of-use
through automation.
Tape
is a reliable, affordable means for
storing large volumes of data.
Whether you’re consolidating data
for management efficiency, or
storing low-usage data to save
costs, our wide range of tape
drives, libraries and virtual tape
solutions can help you do it better. |
Tape
Libraries and Autoloaders
Information is rapidly becoming our most
valuable asset as we have become ever
more dependent on our ability to store,
manipulate and retrieve electronic data.
Unfortunately for most of us, the
importance of tape backup doesn't become
clear until our data becomes lost or
corrupted. By that time, the best we can
hope for is a speedy recovery.
Backup and restore operations can be
very taxing on your IT staff's
resources. Managing the daily rotation
of media, off-site storage and requests
from users to recover lost files can
leave your staff struggling to maintain
and manage your data resources
accurately.
Although you cannot stop backing up your
data, solutions are available that can
help to automate many of these tasks
while delivering easier management,
scalability and even better performance.
The most common approach to easing the
burden of backup and restore is the tape
library or autoloader. There are some
subtle differences between these two
types of tape units, but for the
purposes of this document, we will treat
them as the same.
A tape library in its most simple terms
is one or more tape backup drives in an
enclosure that also contains a robotic
mechanism for changing tapes. The
enclosure will also have magazines or
slots to hold the tape cartridges.
Some of the advantages of these devices
are rather obvious. Because a library
can change tapes automatically, manual
intervention to complete backup jobs
will no longer be necessary. In fact, a
properly configured library can handle
your backup needs for days at a time
with little intervention from your IT
staff.
A common use of a tape library is for
centralized backup and restore. A tape
library can have several tape drives and
potentially hundreds of tape cartridges
so you can use just one to replace the
single tape units in dozens of servers.
You then run the backup via your LAN,
WAN or SAN. This can cut down greatly on
the daily maintenance needs of backup
and free your IT staff for more pressing
tasks.
Even with the implementation of a tape
autoloader or library, the need for tape
rotation and offsite storage of tapes
can be a daunting task. To facilitate
this many libraries come with (or have
the option of) a barcode reader. When
combined with bar coded tape cartridges
and a good software application much of
the backup and restore operations
previously thought to be complex are
simplified. Additionally, accuracy and
integrity are restored to the process,
which creates peace of mind to know that
your data backup is handled accurately
and efficiently.
If your backup needs are always in flux
due to constant storage growth, a tape
library can help you as well. Scalable
tape libraries are becoming more and
more prevalent. You can start out today
with a dual drive, 20 tape slot tape
library and then when your storage needs
grow you can add 20, 40, 60 or more
slots and several drives to the same
unit. Not only can this save on the
initial procurement costs but it can
also save you from getting a unit that
you outgrow too quickly.
Lastly, a tape library is the solution
of choice where performance or high
storage capacity is needed. With their
ability to hold several tape drives and
hundreds of tapes you can find a library
to fit your capacity needs that has the
horsepower to get your backup or restore
done in time.
Perhaps you can see a use for a tape
library or autoloader in your
environment. If you want to learn more
please look at some resources given
below.
Advantages:
Automated tape changing to reduce
management overhead.
Barcode readers to simplify tape
rotation and off-site storage tasks.
Scalability to meet to needs of today
and the future.
Allows for centralization of backup and
restore tasks.
Most cost effective solution for high
capacity and high performance backup.
HP,
Compaq,
IBM,
CISCO,
3COM,
APPLE,
SEAGATE,
and other major branded products as well
as a MAJOR focus on Mass Storage related
drives, media, storage
racks, tri-optic
barcode labels, libraries, autoloaders,
duplicators,
jukeboxes,
HBA's,
JBOD,
Raid, SAN,
NAS and software
solutions.
As
our stock of NEW, used and refurbished storage
equipment changes daily, be sure to use
our online chat service to get "real
time" pricing from a knowledgeable sales
technician. We also offer the lowest priced
storage
media on the net. Contact us now for
drive rental, repair, duplication, software
solutions or professional consultation.
*Buying refurbished can be better
than buying new because flaws have been found and
fixed, once it is deemed to be complete and in good
working order it is repackaged to be sold at a lower
price as refurbished.
Previous-Next
|
