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LTO7 is Dead. Arise Sir LTO8!
LTO challengers are growing against the format, but IBM is keeping the category alive
The onslaught on LTO / tape for many enterprise use-cases is seemingly relentless:
Why not store into a spinning disk archive if you want an active archive? (That old tape is more expensive than disk argument keeps shouting louder and Object Matrix would argue that we are less expensive than tape even in very large systems)
Why not store into Amazon Glacier if you really don't want to read your data back much, if ever? This is the reason many companies raced to the cloud in the first place (see cloud blog post)
Why not consider optical storage if you want your data to be waterproof (amongst other benefits tape claims against disk)?
And for sure many will look to those types of workflows where in the past LTO might have been the only option they could have used.
Yet, tape stubbornly lingers. For some, the ability to put a tape on a shelf with a low $/GB cost is the trump card. For others, finding cloud is too expensive, moving data on to tape is a better option. And for yet others, they just haven't looked into (or don't want to believe) that disk based archives are now very cost effective and time efficient, so they stick with what they know.
The Predictions:
Tape will live on, but will not grow (in total market size) at the pace of other formats
Questions will remain about the number of manufacturers continuing to support the format
LTO8 is of course, the new way to go in this format
The Bad Pun:
Q: How much storage do you require for your data archive sir?
A: About two warehouses please .
(Object Matrix were in a meeting once when we asked a very large user of tape, How much storage do you have? , and the answer came back from a very serious technical engineer: About 6 acres !!)
LTO8 is out in Q4 2017 with 12TB LTO drives. It's been 3 years since LTO7 after all. But IBM delivered the tapes with a warning The LTO generation 8 media specification up to 30TB compressed data cartridges can only be used on the new IBM LTO Ultrium 8 tape drives . Read: don't be trying to put any other manufacturer of LTO8 tapes into our drives. That's the type of message that again makes you wonder if the format has enough backers, and whether those forced to face migrating from LTO6 to LTO7 to LTO8 will end up laughing as they cry at messages like LTO tapes can last for 30 years .
Object Matrix:
Offer compelling total cost of ownership arguments for many workflows where tape was once king. Like ITN, many of our customers simply need access to all their archive to remain competitive and generate new revenue streams. To find out why they, Orange, BT, MTA and many more chose to work with Object Matrix please do get in touch!
Some Useful Links:
Three reasons media organisations are moving content from LTO to private clouds
Million dollar marketing budgets & Linux servers
Where Video Analytics is Concerned, AI is the New Old Kid in Town
Goodbye PMR. Hello HAMR. Mr. DNA - you are a fun side project for now.
About Object Matrix
Object Matrix provides digital content governance and object storage platforms. The company was built on the philosophy that archive systems should be scalable and interoperable, as well as ensuring instant access to data and metadata. Its flagship product, MatrixStore, is an integrated object storage software solution providing protection and governance for the lifetime of any digital content. It's used by global organisations that create, curate, and distribute video content, including NBC Universal, TV Globo, the BBC and BT.
Object Matrix is comprised of a team of storage industry experts with a shared vision for high levels of data security combined with intuitive user interfaces. In addition to providing solutions and product integrations for the storage, search and retrieval of media assets, Object Matrix also provides consultancy, training, systems integration, and ongoing support services.
www.object-matrix.com
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