In the digital era, the importance of robust data storage and backup solutions cannot be overstated, particularly for businesses and individuals managing vast data volumes. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) face a critical challenge in choosing how to securely store and protect their essential files. As data accumulates into terabytes over the years, identifying a dependable and economical backup option becomes imperative. Tape drives, a long-discussed method, prompt the question: Are they still a viable choice in 2025, or have hard drives and cloud backups emerged as superior alternatives?

Understanding the Basics of Tape Drives

Tape drives have been around for decades and were once the go-to storage solution for enterprise and archival data storage. The idea behind tape storage is simple: data is written sequentially to a magnetic tape, which can be stored and accessed when needed. In recent years, Linear Tape-Open (LTO) technology has become the standard in tape storage, with LTO-9 being the latest version, offering up to 18TB of native storage per tape.

Tape is designed for long-term storage. It’s not meant to be used as active, live storage, but instead serves as a cold backup—retrieved only when necessary. One of the biggest selling points of tape is its durability. Properly stored, tapes can last 20-30 years, making them ideal for long-term archiving.

Why Tape Drives Are Still Used in 2025

Despite the rise of SSDs, HDDs, and cloud storage, tape drives remain a favored solution for many enterprises, and even some SMBs, for a few key reasons:

1. Cost Per Terabyte: Tapes are relatively inexpensive compared to SSDs and even some HDDs when you consider the cost per terabyte. While the initial investment in a tape drive can be steep (anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000), the cost of the tapes themselves is much lower than purchasing multiple hard drives, especially if you need to store large amounts of data.
2. Longevity and Durability: Tape is known for its longevity. Once data is written to a tape, it can be stored in a climate-controlled environment for decades without risk of data loss due to drive failures or corruption that sometimes plague hard drives.
3. Offline Storage and Security: Because tapes are physically disconnected from the network once they’re stored, they are immune to cyber-attacks like ransomware. For businesses that need to safeguard critical data, tape provides peace of mind as an offline backup that can’t be hacked or corrupted electronically.
4. Capacity for Growth: LTO tapes offer large storage capacities, with LTO-9 capable of storing 18TB natively (45TB compressed). This scalability makes tape an attractive option for SMBs with expanding data needs but who may not want to constantly invest in new HDDs or increase cloud storage subscriptions.

The Drawbacks of Tape Drives

However, despite these benefits, there are some notable downsides to using tape as a backup medium for SMBs:

1. Initial Costs and Complexity: While the per-tape cost is low, the tape drive itself is expensive. Additionally, setting up a tape backup system requires specialized hardware (often requiring a SAS PCIe card), which can be challenging for smaller businesses that lack an in-house IT department. Regular maintenance and cleaning of the drive are also necessary to ensure proper functioning.
2. Slow Access Times: Unlike hard drives or cloud storage, tapes store data sequentially, which means retrieving files can take longer. If you need to restore specific data, especially in emergencies, tape drives may not be the fastest solution. It’s designed for long-term storage, not rapid, day-to-day access.
3. Obsolescence of Drives: Tape drive technology moves fast, and newer generations may not be compatible with older tapes. For example, an LTO-9 drive can only read LTO-7 and LTO-8 tapes. If your drive fails in the future, finding a replacement could become a challenge if that specific technology has become outdated.

Hard Drives for Backup: A More Practical Choice?

On the other side of the debate, hard drives continue to be one of the most popular choices for SMB data storage and backups. Here’s why:

1. Ease of Use: Hard drives are far more accessible and easier to set up than tape systems. Most external hard drives can be connected to any computer or server with minimal effort, making them a convenient choice for SMBs that lack specialized IT resources.
2. Speed: When it comes to reading and writing data, HDDs are much faster than tape drives. If your business needs frequent access to archived data, HDDs are the better option. Additionally, with RAID configurations, businesses can benefit from redundancy and increased performance.
3. Affordability: Hard drives are relatively cheap and getting more affordable each year. For businesses needing to store several terabytes of data, HDDs represent a reasonable investment. Larger drives are available at more affordable price points, and their plug-and-play nature makes them easy to scale up as data grows.

The Role of Cloud Backup Solutions

In 2025, cloud backup has become an essential part of the data storage conversation. Cloud solutions like Amazon S3 Glacier, Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage, Backblaze, or Microsoft Azure offer scalable and flexible storage options that eliminate the need for physical infrastructure. Cloud storage is highly secure, with encryption and redundancy protocols in place, but it comes with a recurring cost that increases as the amount of stored data grows.

For SMBs, cloud storage offers a middle-ground between tape and HDDs. It doesn’t require significant up-front investment like tape, and it doesn’t have the physical limitations of HDDs. The cloud also offers the advantage of being offsite, meaning data is protected from local disasters like fires or floods.

However, there are drawbacks to cloud solutions, such as egress fees when retrieving large amounts of data and concerns about data sovereignty. Furthermore, while cloud solutions are convenient, they are dependent on a strong, fast internet connection.

Catalogic DPX: Over 25 Years of Expertise in Tape Backup Solutions

For over 25 years, Catalogic DPX has been a trusted name in backup solutions, with a particular emphasis on tape backup technology. Designed to meet the evolving needs of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), Catalogic DPX offers unmatched compatibility and support for a wide range of tape devices, from legacy systems to the latest LTO-9 technology. This extensive experience allows businesses to seamlessly integrate both old and new hardware, ensuring continued access to critical data. The software’s robust features simplify tape management, reducing the complexity of handling multiple devices while minimizing troubleshooting efforts. With DPX, businesses can streamline their tape workflows, manage air-gapped copies for added security, and comply with data integrity regulations. Whether it’s NDMP backups, reducing backup times by up to 90%, or leveraging its patented block-level protection, Catalogic DPX provides a comprehensive, cost-effective solution to safeguard business data for the long term.

Choosing the Right Solution for Your Business

The choice between tape drives, hard drives, and cloud storage comes down to your business’s specific needs:

• For Large, Archival-Heavy Data: If you’re a business handling huge datasets and need to store them for long periods without frequent access, tape drives might still be a viable and cost-effective solution, especially if you have the budget to invest in the initial infrastructure.
• For Quick and Accessible Storage: If you require frequent access to your data or if your data changes regularly, HDDs are a better choice. They offer faster read/write times and are easier to manage.
• For Redundancy and Offsite Backup: Cloud storage provides flexibility and protection from physical damage. If you’re concerned about natural disasters or want to keep a copy of your data offsite without managing physical media, the cloud might be your best bet.

In conclusion, tape drives remain viable in 2025, especially for long-term archival purposes, but for most SMBs, a combination of HDDs and cloud storage likely offers the best balance of accessibility, cost, and security. Whether you’re storing cherished family memories or crucial business data, ensuring you have a reliable backup strategy is key to safeguarding your future.

In any organization, proper data management and security practices are crucial. As technology evolves, older forms of data storage, like tape backups, can become obsolete. However, simply throwing away or recycling these tapes without careful thought can lead to serious security risks. Old tape backups may contain sensitive data that, if not properly destroyed, could expose your company to breaches, data leaks, or compliance violations.

In this guide, we’ll explore the best practices for securely disposing of old tape backups, covering important steps to ensure data is destroyed safely and in compliance with legal standards.

Why Proper Tape Backup Disposal Is Important

Tape backups have been a reliable storage solution for decades, especially for large-scale data archiving. Even though tapes may seem outdated, they often contain valuable or sensitive information such as financial records, customer data, intellectual property, or even personal employee data. The mishandling of these backups can lead to several problems, including:

• Data Breaches: Tapes that are not securely destroyed could be accessed by unauthorized parties. In some cases, individuals might find discarded tapes and extract data, potentially resulting in identity theft or business espionage.
• Compliance Issues: Various regulations, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and other industry-specific laws, mandate secure destruction of data when it’s no longer needed. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in hefty fines, legal actions, and reputational damage.
• Liability and Risk: Even if old backups seem irrelevant, they may contain information that could be used in lawsuits or discovery processes. Having accessible tapes beyond their retention period could present legal liabilities for your company.

Step 1: Evaluate the Contents and Retention Requirements

Before taking any action, it’s essential to evaluate the data stored on the tapes. Consider the following questions:

• Is the data still required for compliance or legal purposes? Some industries have mandatory retention periods for specific types of data, such as tax records or medical information.
• Has the retention period expired? If the data has passed its legally required retention period and is no longer needed for business purposes, it’s time to consider secure destruction.

Consult your organization’s data retention policy or legal department to ensure that you’re not prematurely destroying records that might still be necessary.

Step 2: Choose a Secure Destruction Method

Once you’ve determined that the data on your tape backups is no longer needed, you must choose a secure and effective destruction method. The goal is to ensure the data is completely irretrievable. Here are some of the most common methods:

1. Shredding

Using a certified shredding service is one of the most secure ways to destroy tape backups. Shredding physically destroys the tape cartridges and the data within them, leaving them in pieces that cannot be reassembled or read. Many data destruction companies, such as Iron Mountain or Shred-It, offer specialized shredding services for tapes, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

Make sure to:

• Select a certified shredding company: Choose a company that provides a certificate of destruction (CoD) after the job is completed. This certificate verifies that the data was securely destroyed, protecting your organization from future liability.
• Witness the destruction: Some companies allow clients to witness the destruction process or provide video evidence, giving you peace of mind that the process was carried out as expected.

2. Degaussing

Degaussing is the process of using a powerful magnet to disrupt the magnetic fields on the tape, rendering the data unreadable. Degaussers are specialized machines designed to destroy magnetic data storage devices like tape backups. While degaussing is an effective method, it’s important to keep in mind that:

• It may not work on all tape types: Ensure the degausser you use is compatible with the specific type of tapes you have. For example, some LTO (Linear Tape-Open) formats may not be fully erased with standard degaussers.
• It’s not always verifiable: With degaussing, you won’t have visible proof that the data was destroyed. Therefore, it’s recommended to combine degaussing with another method, such as physical destruction, to ensure complete eradication of data.

3. Manual Destruction

Some organizations prefer to handle tape destruction in-house, especially if the volume of tapes is manageable. This can involve:

• Breaking open the tape cartridges: Using tools like screwdrivers to disassemble the tape casing, then manually cutting or shredding the magnetic tape inside. While this method is effective for small quantities of tapes, it can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.
• Incineration: Physically burning the tapes can also be a method of destruction. However, it requires a controlled environment and careful adherence to environmental regulations.

While manual destruction can be effective, it is generally less secure than professional shredding or degaussing services and may not provide the level of compliance required for certain industries.

Step 3: Ensure Compliance and Record-Keeping

After you’ve chosen a destruction method, ensure the process is documented thoroughly. This includes:

• Obtaining a Certificate of Destruction: If you use a third-party service, request a certificate that provides details on the destruction process, such as when and how the data was destroyed. This document can serve as proof in case of audits or legal disputes.
• Maintaining a Log: Keep a record of the destroyed tapes, including their serial numbers, destruction dates, and method used. This log can be essential for compliance purposes and to demonstrate that your organization follows best practices for data destruction.

Step 4: Work with Professional Data Destruction Companies

While some organizations attempt to handle tape destruction internally, working with a professional data destruction company is generally the safest and most compliant option. Professional companies specialize in secure data destruction and ensure that all processes meet the legal and regulatory requirements for your industry.

Key things to look for when selecting a data destruction company:

• Certifications: Ensure the company holds certifications from relevant regulatory bodies, such as NAID (National Association for Information Destruction) or ISO 27001. These certifications guarantee that the company follows the highest standards for secure data destruction.
• Chain of Custody: The company should provide a documented chain of custody for your tapes, ensuring that they were handled securely throughout the destruction process.
• Environmental Considerations: Many shredding and destruction companies also follow environmental guidelines for e-waste disposal. Check whether the company disposes of the destroyed materials in an environmentally responsible manner.

Catalogic DPX: A Trusted Solution for Efficient and Secure Tape Backup Management

Catalogic DPX is a professional-grade backup software with over 25 years of expertise in helping organizations manage their tape backup systems. Known for its unparalleled compatibility, Catalogic DPX supports a wide range of tape devices, from legacy systems to the latest LTO-9 technology. This ensures that users can continue leveraging their existing hardware while smoothly transitioning to newer systems if needed. The platform simplifies complex workflows by streamlining both Virtual Tape Libraries (VTLs) and traditional tape library management, reducing the need for extensive troubleshooting and staff training. With a focus on robust backup and recovery, Catalogic DPX optimizes backup times by up to 90%, while its secure, air-gapped snapshots on tape offer immutable data protection that aligns with compliance standards. For organizations seeking cost-effective and scalable solutions, Catalogic DPX delivers, ensuring efficient, secure, and compliant data management.

Conclusion

Disposing of old tape backups is not as simple as tossing them in the trash. Proper data destruction is essential for protecting sensitive information and avoiding legal liabilities. Whether you choose shredding, degaussing, or manual destruction, it’s critical to ensure that your organization complies with data protection regulations and follows best practices.

By working with certified data destruction companies and maintaining clear records of the destruction process, you can safeguard your organization from potential data breaches and ensure that your old tape backups are disposed of securely and responsibly.

Navigating the complexities of LTO Tape migration, including the transition to advanced generations like LTO-9, presents various challenges. This blog discusses these challenges, the strategic approaches for successful migration, and delves into the role of Catalogic DPX in enhancing tape backup strategies.

The Intricacies of Migrating to LTO-9 and Legacy Tape Challenges

The migration from older LTO generations, such as LTO6 or LTO7, to LTO9 involves several complexities, including compatibility issues and potential data loss. Additionally, migrating legacy tapes to newer solutions like LTO-9 requires careful planning to ensure data integrity. This becomes especially crucial with LTO-9’s increased capacity and speed, demanding a nuanced understanding of its backward compatibility and hardware requirements.

Risks and Complexities in Using Backup Software for Tape Migration

Employing backup software to restore data from old-generation LTO tapes to disk, followed by backing it up to new-generation LTO tapes, is a complex and risky approach. This method requires careful planning to maintain data integrity and is fraught with challenges like data loss, corruption, and compatibility issues. Additionally, it requires extensive manual intervention and can be time-consuming.

Evaluating Migration Approaches: Managed Services and Beyond

Choosing the right approach for LTO tape data migration involves considering both managed services and hands-on methods. Managed tape services offer simplified solutions, but may not be suitable for all types of data or organizations. Alternatives like the restore option and the sundown approach require extensive planning and carry potential risks to data integrity.

Catalogic DPX Tape Backup Technology: Facilitating Tape Migration and Twinning

Catalogic DPX plays a vital role in LTO tape migration and tape twinning. It supports the seamless transfer of data across different tape generations, which is crucial for updating backup hardware while maintaining access to historical data. In the context of tape twinning, Catalogic DPX allows for simultaneous data backup to different tape drives, akin to a RAID1 setup in tape backups. This functionality is particularly beneficial for organizations requiring high-level data duplication and robust backup strategies. Real-world applications in sectors like finance demonstrate Catalogic DPX’s effectiveness in both migration and twinning scenarios.

In the same time, DPX can help users move backup data from older generation LTO tape to newer ones with intuitive interface like below

The tape migration process can also be helpful for moving media types of type DISKDIRECTORY* over to physical tape. If for example, you had many months of DISKDIRECTORY volsers that you would like migrated over to a physical tape device, you can do so simply by defining a migration job. The DPX catalog will be able to track the location of your data backup once the media has been migrated.

In addition to these features, Catalogic DPX offers multiple avenues for tape migration, catering to diverse business needs. While the manual process described is ideal for companies transitioning a significant volume of data to newer tape generations (such as from LTO6 to LTO9), our automated migration solution streamlines the process for ongoing operations. This automated approach is especially useful for scenarios where data is initially backed up to a DISKDIR and then archived to tape. In this setup, the retention period for archived data can be configured flexibly. For instance, if the primary backup on DISKDIR has a 10-day retention, the migrated data on tape can be set for an extended period, such as 100 days (10 days on DISKDIR plus an additional 90 days on tape). This dual approach—manual for bulk migrations and automated for continuous operations—ensures that Catalogic DPX can adapt to varying organizational requirements, making it a versatile solution for both immediate and long-term data migration and storage strategies.

Conclusion of LTO Tape Migration

LTO Tape Migration involves navigating a series of challenges that require strategic planning and technical support. From the complexities of moving to advanced tape generations like LTO-9 to implementing effective backup strategies using Catalogic DPX, organizations must tackle these challenges to ensure data security and accessibility. Understanding the nuances of LTO tape migration and the capabilities of Catalogic DPX is key to successful data storage management in a digital world that constantly evolves.

*DiskDirectory. Term of DPX. A virtual tape device that uses traditional media agents to save data into proprietary formatted files hosted on a device server. DiskDirectories are used with file mode backups and do not benefit from features such as Bare Metal Recovery. Backups to DiskDirectory are often used in cases where clients need to stream data to faster disk devices and later move the data to tape.