In efforts to reduce data footprints and consequently costs associated with data storage, companies are always searching for the best method to manage business data and administer the information lifecycle. The main objectives in managing data include promoting availability, compliance, security, and ensuring business uptime is maximised. But with current metrics and best practices aimed at keeping companies green, it is harder to find a single and robust solution that can address all these business requirements.

One of the most talked about methods to achieve this involves incorporating virtual environments, though according to Databarracks' latest survey, 42% of companies still use tape in some form for storage and backup of business data, despite advancement in storage solutions and virtualisation.

Why do people insist on using this near obsolete method of backup when there are so many options that will save them time, money, and hassle in managing their data, not to mention that will score them a few more points towards obtaining a greener company status?

Ultimately, people are somewhat nostalgic and although advances in technology can be very quick, the adoption of new technologies takes a little more time. Users are hesitant to abandon technologies such as tape, partially because they have already spent money on their tape infrastructure and do not want to have to outlay more capital to change to a new system, or invest more time and effort training internal staff to pilot the new technology. Though changing to a modern backup solution has its distinct advantages, the process seems daunting and users may be afraid they won't get the same level of storage and security they had with their tape systems. New technologies also bring with them uncertainty about implementing the changes seamlessly to avoid downtime during the transition.

Those who continue to use tape systems for whatever reason must acknowledge the downfalls of this method. Tape is a nearly 50 year old technology that is inherently ungreen and poses a striking contrast to the virtualised data storage process which helps reduce energy usage and costs while increasing data availability and service levels. As they are made of oil-based plastics which are not biodegradable and entail environmentally unfriendly manufacturing processes, tapes contribute to environmental degradation. Further, tapes require transportation and storage in order for them to be kept secure offsite. The use of a vehicle to chauffeur tapes to their backup storage facility causes increased fuel usage resulting in additional costs and CO2 emissions which are not a factor when data is transported via a WAN link.

Using virtual environments in conjunction with technology such as deduplication, for example, means that less data needs to be backed up every day, as only incremental changes are stored, resulting in savings in time and resource usage. Newer backup software features also allow for complete and automated data lifecycle management, making storage scalable and providing opportunity for space to be recycled once old data has been archived.

Price is another point where new technologies hold the advantage over tape. Tape recorders are fairly expensive though the tape media itself is quite cheap. However, as tape machines age, replacement parts are becoming scarce and therefore more expensive and difficult to locate while maintenance costs overall are increasing. Comparatively, the cost of disk and virtualisation keep coming down while the technology continues to evolve.

Ultimately, the life expectancy of these archaic systems that were designed with the technological requirements of half a century ago in mind is nearing its end. The reality now is very different from the days when tape was developed, which means that causes of data loss and its implications have changed dramatically. The timeframe for recovery from a power or hardware failure, a flood or a terrorist attack is now remarkably shorter as is the general public's tolerance of environmental abuses. To accommodate the new world climate, the storage solution a business chooses needs to comply with regulations that take into consideration the capabilities and limitations of today's technologies and the circumstances that shape them. Those companies who embrace new technologies, including managed services for their online backups, will experience benefits such as ease of ensuring systems remain compatible and compliant, which will give them a competitive advantage over other companies who have not advanced their systems beyond tape.