It is not uncommon to see many different technologies in the data center including disk, tape, SSD and even optical. Each of these solutions provides unique benefits from a performance, reliability and availability perspective. However, the one element that frustrates me is when vendors (typically disk-centric ones) point to tape as a technology that is outdated and unreliable. It is clear that all technologies have their strengths and weaknesses, but reliability is not typically one associated with tape. In this blog post, I will walk through four reasons why tape is more reliable than disk.
1. Bit Error Rate
Bit error rate (BER) is a concept that sounds complex, but in reality isn't. It is simply a measure of the total of number of expected erroneous bits as compared to the total number of bits received. In the most simplistic terms, it quantifies the likelihood of a faulty bit as a percent of total number of bits written. The table below is taken from the LTO website and highlights how the BER of tape compares to that of disk storage.
As you can see tape has at least a 10x improvement in BER versus the most expensive enterprise disks. However, since LTO is normally used for backup and archiving, SATA has historically been the disk alternative of choice and in this case tape's BER is 100x better! In summary, the likelihood of tape writing an incorrect bit is between 10x and 100x better than an equivalent disk drive.
2. Read After Write
There is a risk with any medium that what you want to write does not actually get written. Why would this silent corruption occur? Well, it could be caused by a number of things, but is often related to an unexpected error in the storage hardware. LTO tape incorporates technology to directly address this risk. As described in this primer, LTO drives natively re-read data as soon as it is written to validate accuracy. This is powerful because this error checking occurs with every write without any need for user intervention. Furthermore, any errors experienced are addressed in real time. If you compare this to disk arrays, the situation gets murky; each disk vendor has a unique RAID algorithm which may or may not include verification. Some arrays may go back at a later time to scrub the disk for errors, but the delayed analysis misses the real time verification and correction that LTO provides. Simply put, when you write data to LTO you can be confident that the tape is accurately storing your information.
3. Data Storage is Abstracted from Data Access
A hard drive is a self-contained device that includes data storage (magnetic platters where information is physically stored) and access (drive heads that move to read/write information and motors to spin the platters and move the heads). A disk drive is presented to the world as a simple block device (through SATA, SAS or FC, typically), but this simplicity masks the complexity of the underlying technology and microscopic tolerances required when manufacturing these items. All of the components inside the hard drive must operate in perfect harmony to access stored information and if any of them fails then all the stored data on the medium is inaccessible. A corrupted drive can be fixed, but the process is extremely complex, time consuming and costly and so most users bypass drive recovery and instead rely on RAID technology to solve the problem.
Tape is different because it separates data storage from data access. In the tape world, data is stored on removable tape media such as LTO-6, but the information is only readable when inserted into a tape drive. Hence data access is separated from storage. This separation is noteworthy because it changes the reliability dynamics since a failed tape drive can easily be replaced while the underlying data remains intact. It also brings interesting compatibility benefits because you can upgrade the data access device (tape drives) separately from the underlying data (the tapes). LTO enables this use case by providing 3 generations of LTO format backwards compatibility (e.g. an LTO-5 drive can read data from LTO-5, LTO-4 and LTO-3 media.)
4. Bit Rot
Extended data retention is the norm in today's IT environments. Yet as retention extends, users need to be cognizant of the consistent readability of their storage medium. Bit rot refers to the gradual degradation of magnetic media that can happen over time and can result in data corruption. Noted industry Analyst W. Curtis Preston discusses this concept in a blog post entitled Tape more reliable than disk for long term storage. The long and short is that all magnetic media face the risk of bit rot, but disk faces a higher risk than tape due its smaller magnetic particles and higher operating temperature. Thus customers can be more confident of the long-term viability of data stored on tape versus disk. Additionally, this formula also helps explain why LTO tapes are stated to last 30 years while the average disk subsystem is replaced every five years.
In summary, disk and tape are complementary technologies that provide strong benefits. Disk excels when it comes to random read and write performance which is why most customers use it as a target for near-term backup and recovery operations. However, it is also clear that tape brings substantial benefits as well and is the optimal medium for longer-term data storage and preservation. As a user, I encourage you to think carefully about the technology you are using to ensure that you are using the right technology to solve your business challenges.
Chart source: LTO Website
Most recent headlines
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things By the Numbers: How the Global Phenomenon Shap...
23/12/2025
Experience the power of WO Automation for Radio's newest service, the System Effectiveness Review. Designed to help you achieve more, a System Effectiveness...
23/12/2025
23 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to A...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
How Steamy Can It Get? Single's Inferno' Season 5 Pre...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
33 Million Global Viewers on Netflix Watched Jake Paul vs. Ant...
23/12/2025
New technique lights up where drugs go in the body, cell by cell Scripps Research scientists developed a technique that maps drug binding in individual cells th...
22/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Presidio's Neerav Shah on the Role of Its Captiva...
It is not uncommon to see many different technologies in the data center including disk, tape, SSD and even optical. Each of these solutions provides unique benefits from a performance, reliability and availability perspective. However, the one element that frustrates me is when vendors (typically disk-centric ones) point to tape as a technology that is outdated and unreliable. It is clear that all technologies have their strengths and weaknesses, but reliability is not typically one associated with tape. In this blog post, I will walk through four reasons why tape is more reliable than disk.
