There is no doubt that disk-based backup usage is increasing. The technology can provide meaningful local backup and recovery benefits for critical customer data. However, the fact that customers are adopting disk does not mean that tape is irrelevant or unnecessary. The reality is that there are places for both in the data center. Unfortunately, disk vendors often provide misleading information about tape in an effort to discredit the medium and convince customers to pay a premium for additional disk-based solutions. There can be times when an all disk approach is the right model, but customers need to thoroughly review the pros and cons of the available options. Here are four common myths to consider when comparing disk to tape.
Myth 1: Hard disk drives are denser and cheaper than tape.
The measure of storage density is aureal density which refers to the amount of space each bit consumes. As discussed in TechTarget's article, Reliability and roadmap: Two more reasons to choose tape, tape's aureal density has been increasing at approximately the same rate as disk, but tape's bit area (e.g. space available for writing data to) is 200 to 300 times greater than disk. Thus, tape is in a great position to aggressively grow in capacity with LTO-8 expected to deliver 32TB. In contrast, disk-drives are space constrained and will have a much harder time delivering equivalent growth going forward. In short, you should expect to see tape's density increasing faster than disk.
The myth about disk being cheaper than tape is a common one that is frequently reiterated. Simply put, this is not accurate. W. Curtis Preston performed a cost analysis in a recent blog post, Get rid of tape? Inconceivable! He determined when storing 20PB of data, tape costs about $11,000 with 2:1 compression while an entry level disk subsystem costs $12M. These numbers speak for themselves.
Some people focus on the cost of standalone consumer disk drives as a proxy for disk cost, but this is not accurate either. In practice, if you want to use a disk array, you need to use enterprise disk drives. These cost about 2x more than entry level drives. (Read Intel's Enterprise-class versus Desktop-class drives to learn more about hard drives.) Furthermore, there is a significant cost associated with other disk array accessories such as RAID controllers, power supplies and enclosures. (RAID controllers are particularly noteworthy since they are unique to each array manufacturer and represent significant value and thus cost.) Simply put, the price of an entry level consumer disk drive is not an effective estimate of disk array cost and comparing desktop drive prices with enterprise tape is not accurate.
Myth 2: Deduplication brings the economics of disk below that of tape.
Some pundits point to deduplication as the silver bullet of backup to disk economics. However, using Preston's example above, if we assume 20:1 deduplication, the resulting disk cost is $600,000 which is still over 50x more expensive than tape! Remember the price assumes a very basic and entry level disk subsystem. It also assumes the disk vendor does not charge a premium for deduplication technology while in practice, most do.
In short, there is no doubt that deduplication technology decreases the cost per GB of disk subsystems. However, deduplication benefits vary and so the actual capacity gained and cost savings is less clear. The economics of tape do not depend on the uncertainty of deduplication and can be consistently delivered across all data types. In virtually every case, tape provides a compelling $/GB benefit over disk storage. Tape also delivers greater scalability, power and cooling benefits versus disk subsystems.
Myth 3: Disk-based replication is always cheaper and better than tape-based disaster recovery (DR).
People talk about using disk systems and deduplicated replication to improve DR. There is no doubt that this technology provides benefits, but it is not a panacea. If you want to replicate, you will need a remote data center and must pay for the power, cooling and space. Additionally, you will need enough bandwidth to ensure that replication can finish within the required window and must frequently upgrade the throughput as data grows. Finally, the biggest costs usually come from the requirement to purchase a second deduplication appliance which is typically the same configuration as the first and associated software licensing. All of these expenses add up. The total cost can be significant.
If you compare the replication model to tape-based DR, you will find a very different cost structure. You only need one tape library or autoloader. Also, you can leverage an offsite tape vaulting partner like Iron Mountain to handle the physical tape movement. There is no need for multiple libraries, remote data centers or expensive bandwidth. In practice, you simply complete your backup to tape or disk, copy the completed backups to tape and then hand the tapes to Iron Mountain at which point your DR operations are complete. The result is a much simpler yet highly reliable DR strategy.
Myth 4: Backup applications always work better with disk.
I am not sure how to interpret statements like these. Backup applications maturely support both disk AND tape. In fact, tape support has been an integral part of backup for a longer time than disk. Also remember most backup software vendors charge a premium for backing up to deduplicated disk and so licensing can be significantly more expensive than tape. Proprietary disk interfaces like Symantec's OST or HP's Catalyst provide tighter integration with disk systems providing greater benefits. However, these solutions typically come at a premium price versus the tape alternative.
The reality is that backup to disk plays an important r
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
05/05/2026
SVG is proud to announce Warner Bros. Discovery's Techwood Studios in Atlant...
05/05/2026
With no operator required, AutoMic workflow automates talent identification on U...
05/05/2026
A crash in 2015 set the industry back, but this winter proved that drones are he...
05/05/2026
Another year, and more proof that Asia continues to shape some of the world's most exciting new sounds. This year's RADAR artists draw from deep local r...
05/05/2026
The Austin City Limits Music Fest 2026 lineup just dropped, and this year, Spoti...
05/05/2026
New drum machine book campaign incoming
Bjooks have announced that during Superbooth 2026, they will be launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund the product...
05/05/2026
Flagship all-in-one production bundle updated
The latest version of Native Instruments' flagship virtual instrument and plug-in bundle has just been ann...
05/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host RF Testing Innovations Forum 2026, helping design engine...
05/05/2026
L3Harris provides communications, electronic warfare, sensors and mission systems that enable Virginia-class submarine crews to operate with confidence in conte...
05/05/2026
The company grew by 7.6% in net revenue and 16.3% in EBITDA, achieving a 33% inc...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
There is no doubt that disk-based backup usage is increasing. The technology can provide meaningful local backup and recovery benefits for critical customer data. However, the fact that customers are adopting disk does not mean that tape is irrelevant or unnecessary. The reality is that there are places for both in the data center. Unfortunately, disk vendors often provide misleading information about tape in an effort to discredit the medium and convince customers to pay a premium for additional disk-based solutions. There can be times when an all disk approach is the right model, but customers need to thoroughly review the pros and cons of the available options. Here are four common myths to consider when comparing disk to tape.
