What is Tape Backup?
Sometimes referred to as a streamer, the tape backup is a form of data storage that is used to create a copy of the data stored in a system at a specific point in time. The data is copied onto a reel of magnetic tape, and can be permanently archived for future reference. Before the advent of the compact data disks, using a backup of this type was common for many businesses that relied heavily on computer databases. Even today, the dependability of the magnetic tape and the relatively low cost make using a tape backup an attractive option. The actual back-up process is not unlike that of copying data onto a remote server or a CDR. Software is used to initiate the process and monitor its progress. In general, the magnetic tape backup can read data from a hard drive with speed equal to other data storage options and copy the data to the tape with relative ease. When finished, the tape can be stored and archived, effectively creating a snapshot of all the data within a system as of a speci
Tape backup is the practice of copying data to magnetic tape via an SCSI, IDE, USB or otherwise connected tape drive, either for copying, backup and restore, or archival purposes. Magnetic tape backup is a mature technology that has existed in various forms since the 1950s, and offers a relatively low unit cost. Magnetic tapes come in a variety of sizes and capacities, with common formats including cassettes that are three-quarter inch, half-inch, eight millimieter and other sizes. The primary disadvantage of tape backup is the inherent inefficiency in the administration of large amounts of data stored on tape, which often require an expense manually-administered tape library. Another disadvantage of tape backup is that while disk-based data storage provides random data access, tape drive data can only be accessed sequentially, adding considerable time to any exploration of a data recovery point. In addition, magnetic backup tape reports recovery failure rates as high as 20 to 50 perce
