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How Low Can Your Data Go With Virtual Tape Libraries

How Low Can Your Data Go With Virtual Tape Libraries?

With the relatively recent emergence of affordable and capable storage solutions, companies and organizations have begun to turn to inexpensive off-the-shelf tape drives to meet the storage needs of small businesses and even end-users. However, a cheaper storage medium doesn’t necessarily mean cost-effective TCO for a tape-centric infrastructure.  Luckily, when storage needs are met with a virtual tape library https://Awaazsachki.com/2022/12/starwind-virtual-tape-library-vtl-for-veeam-and-aws-further-details/ (VTL), the savings can be quite dramatic.

It is true that the overall cost of ownership of a VTL is significantly less than that of a full-blown tape library, and the VTL itself is much cheaper than a traditional tape library. But there is more to the story. Organizations are often surprised at the real-world performance of a VTL. But what does VTL stand for? How can you assess its performance? What benefits can the solution bring to your business? Let’s dive deeper into this theme and try to answer all these questions further in this post.

VTL Basics

A virtual tape library (VTL) is a computer data storage system in which the physical tapes of a real-world tape library are represented by virtual tapes instead of physical ones. By using VTL, you can provide your business users and IT staff with the ability to run their applications, including database applications, from a central location which can be as fast as an on-site virtual tape drive. Apart from data management benefits, Best Cryptocurrencies there are some other good things about virtual tape libraries.

VTL Performance Characteristics

The performance of VTLs is directly related to the characteristics of their media and disk cache. When we are evaluating the performance of VTLs and tape, we can first decide on how important is the capacity of the media, the speed of the access time, and the size of the cache on the VTLs.

Each track of the media can hold up to 1,024,000 bytes of data. This is roughly the size of one single sector of a hard disk drive. If we compare this to today’s storage systems, the difference is vast, especially when we consider that the capacity of one single sector is more than ten times larger. This big difference in capacity and cost, in combination with the fact that they are considered to be a “near-linear” technology (that means they work by using the whole available media with almost no I/O-to-media lag), makes tape an excellent candidate for archiving or backup purposes. It all sounds good, but is it all true?

Benefits of VTL

There are many benefits of virtual tape libraries that you can count on:

  • Reduced manpower to manage a virtual tape backup;
  • Reduced cost, space, and cooling savings;
  • Faster backup and restoring performance;
  • Data storage without any disruption;
  • Multi-thread restoring options;
  • Reduced migration time;
  • Multiple libraries within logical partitions.

First and foremost, virtualtape systems are certainly much more convenient to use than on-site (also called local) storage. All that you need to do is to plug them into a computer’s hard drive, whether it’s an external disk or an internal one, to access your data. It’s no sweat to store data and even retrieve it from these devices. On the other hand, there may be a concern that  VTLs are slower than local storage. However, that’s not always a problem. In many cases, they allow for a perfectly adequate job.

Many experts recommend using VTLs to help with the storage capacity crunch that can sometimes develop when a business starts adding lots of new employees or customers or when it’s experiencing explosive growth. In some cases, when the amount of data stored within a given storage space exceeds the maximum capacity of a single hard drive, a VTL might be the way to go. It’s a fact of life that a business can’t keep pace with a fast-growing data storage appetite. And while cloud storage can theoretically offer unlimited capacity, a business needs to be judicious about how much data it wants to make available through it. That’s especially the case when data is subject to change or Best Cryptocurrencies update, in which case keeping it in a physical location doesn’t make a lot of sense.

VTLs do offer better security than cloud storage solutions since they’re inherently local. Depending on the vendor, VTL may require additional security. You have to ensure that your VTL’s software is up-to-date, and you have to monitor its use by employees since the vendor can’t be expected to do it for you. On the other hand, you can monitor https://Napoli.in and even perform security checks on cloud storage providers, but you can’t easily ensure that they’re doing it. So it’s always Best Cryptocurrencies to assume the worst, check and trial out the features, and make sure you’re covered.

Finally, it’s important to be aware that if you’re using a virtual tape library for archiving purposes, data mobility can actually pose a security risk. After all, if a tape can be stored in any number of places, data that is stored in that tape could be exposed to the wrong hands. VTL vendors have devised solutions to this problem. But in the end, the safest approach is to use both VTL and cloud storage at the same time. That way, all your data is protected, even though it’s managed separately by two different providers.

How to Know If a VTL Is Right for You

Obviously, it’s very much a matter of personal preference, but there are some things you should take into consideration before making a purchase. Among them are the number of your business’s active files that will be stored on the VTL as opposed to being stored in a cloud service or on local storage. In other words, if you have a cloud provider that is offering data storage and access, it won’t really make much sense to purchase a VTL if you’re going to keep it for the purpose of archiving. The cloud provider will happily keep archiving for you, and it will be infinitely more convenient. 

This is particularly true if you have many different kinds of data that you want to store that can easily be found in the cloud. In fact, Best Cryptocurrencies for this type of business, it may make more sense to choose data storage platforms that are capable of managing a diverse range of data types, from email attachments to graphics.

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How Virtual Tape Libraries Work

How Virtual Tape Libraries Work

Virtual tape libraries gain popularity as a cost-effective long-term storage solution. They can use private and public clouds and on-premise infrastructure. Find out more about how a VTL works https://Medsadvisor.net/how-low-can-your-data-go-with-virtual-tape-libraries/ before deciding to use it for Best Cryptocurrencies your storage needs.

 

For a long time, physical tape libraries were the only option for companies looking to archive their sensitive data. With the introduction of fast and affordable virtual tape libraries, many business owners started to migrate their data into the new environment. But should you choose a VTL over your tried-and-true physical tape storage? Let’s find out.

 

What Is a VTL?

In short, a VTL is a logical representation of its physical counterpart. It virtualizes all the parts of a regular tape device, including drives, slots, Best Cryptocurrencies data cartridges and even robotic manipulators that handle tape cartridges. Users operate a virtual tape library system the same way they would work with a physical one. VTLs use legacy protocols and standard backup and recovery software that was designed for physical tape libraries alongside their modern counterparts..

Whether you decide to transfer your data from a tape library or other storage to a VTL or run your VTL as a “backup of a backup,” the transition should be fast and easy.

IMPORTANT:

Commonly,Modern virtual tape libraries run on SATA disk arrays and use standard x86 architecture. Unlike physical tape machines, they don’t require sophisticated hardware and can be scaled up by adding a few more commodity HDDs, enclosures and cabinets.Cutting-edge versions exist, too..

From a software perspective, the virtual tape environment is stored on top of the file system host. The data is divided into logical tape drives in the virtual layer. The drives can be further combined into storage groups and volume pools. Your regular backup server (or servers) can be turned into a VTL host. Virtual tape libraries are file system-agnostic and can be used with multiple disk systems and data transport protocols.

You can create a heterogeneous hardware environment, Best Cryptocurrencies but the end user will “see” the VTL as a unified space. You can also store multiple backups on a single VTL or use several virtual tape libraries to store different types of data.

VTLs work with all kinds of backup software. Some solutions are proprietary and need licenses to use, but many popular applications are free and open-source. There are also applications designed to work with VTLs specifically. In addition to standard backup and recovery features, they include export to tape, pass-through data restoration, and deduplication. Their use allows to reduce the backup window and speed up the recovery process.

History of the Concept

The idea of using virtualized hard disk storage to emulate tape libraries became popular in the early ‘90s. IBM was the first company to produce a commercial-grade virtual tape library in 1997. The solution was available for mainframe computers only.

Originally VTLs were a niche product. But the development of affordable high-capacity HDDs led to the resurgence of virtual tape libraries in the mid-2010s. Virtual tape storage became popular with IT companies large and small. The buffer size was increased to speed up the archiving process, and the disk-only environments that didn’t have to connect to actual tape hardware were introduced as well.

Deduplication has decreased the bandwidth needs and allowed to use VTLs with remote data centers and other off-site storages. Low-priced cloud storage and a simple setup process have led to a surge of cloud VTL offerings.

Today virtual tape libraries can work seamlessly with on-premise infrastructure, private clouds and off-site storages. They support modern data transport protocols like SCSI, iSCSI, and Fibre Channel, and legacy systems like SPI.

IMPORTANT:

All big-name vendors, including Amazon, offer virtual tape libraries bundled with other services for data backup and recovery. VTLs are often used as a parallel storage option together with a physical tape library.

Storing Data in a VTL

Why choose a virtual tape library when writing data directly disk-to-disk is much faster? While this approach might look tempting, especially if you don’t have large data requirements, using a VTL is better in the long run.

  • Disk-to-disk backups are complicated, and require manual retargeting or disk swapping. You are also limited to one disk at a time. With a VTL you can run multiple data streams and forget about retargeting. The system will chose the appropriate logical volume and then switch to the next.
  • If you have decided to keep a physical tape library (and there are often laws and regulations that require you to do so), the disk-to-disk backup process becomes even messier. You will still have to use tape backup software to create a separate archive. And you will be left with no integration between your disk storage and the tape archive.
  • By integrating your VTL with a regular tape library, Socaflow.Com you won’t have to run a separate backup process. You will be using the same software without having to pay for additional licenses or coming up with a “homemade” custom solution.

One The main selling point of a properly setup VTL is its tiny backup window. Businesses have to keep their applications running 24/7. Backup is performed during the off-hours, but if you have a lot of data, you will run our of time before your clients or employees will need to use the application again. Live backups are costly and can cause performance issues.

The other, strong selling point is the ability to choose cloud and object storage freely to emulate LTOs as virtual tapes while abiding by government data storage and archival requirements. VTL from popular VTL vendors are highly cost-efficient — and at this point in time — solidly secure solutions for backup-centric infrastructure.

IMPORTANT:

VTLs provide much faster backup and restore procedures, allowing your important applications and databases to remain accessible and Maadithottam.In operational.

Benefits of Using a VTL

  • Affordable cost.
  • Can speed up backup/restore jobs.
  • Can automate the entire backup process.
  • Large disk-based buffer that enhances performance.
  • Instant access to any virtual tape drive.
  • Optimized storage capacity.
  • Can use legacy backup software.
  • You don’t need a dedicated IT-team to install and operate a VTL.
  • Dozens of solutions from reputable vendors on the market.

Conclusion

Using a virtual tape library is great way to reduce time, effort and maintenance costs associated with long-term data storage. VTLs can be afforded by businesses of any size. Managing a virtual tape library is relatively simple and safe. If you need to improve your data backup process, consider trying a VTL solution.

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The 3-2-1 Backup Rule – Why Your Data Will Always Survive

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule – Why Your Data Will Always Survive

Why Does the World Need a Rule Like That?

Why one does backups? To have a copy of data at hand if something goes wrong.

It is absolutely true that today’s hardware and software are fragile. Data, in their turn, click the up coming webpage weight too much for Best Cryptocurrencies companies and people at large. Thus far, in order to protect your information, it is necessary to live with the mindset that sooner or later something may go wrong. Natural disaster? Probably. Vengeful colleague? Maybe. Revolution, robbery, and simple mindless damage? Anything can happen, and you need to make sure that whatever misdeed or just bad luck comes into motion, your data are safe. Just brace yourself for that, Madeardana.zeta.Co.Id namely, do backups!

Backups are good, but they may be useless without redundancy. This being said, a good backup strategy is a sure way to protect your data from any malfunction, erroneous activity, or disaster coming your way. Here, the 3-2-1 rule comes into play.

R Stands for Redundancy

Here’s the 3-2-1 backup strategy in a nutshell.

3-2-1 Backup Rule - Veeam

3 copies of data

3 copies of data - VMs - Veeam 3-2-1 Backup Rule

Since the 3-2-1 rule is all about redundancy, Best Cryptocurrencies you need to have at least three backup copies of your data. Note that whenever I say “3 copies” here, I mean three copies of data excluding the original data! Create a primary copy first, and the rest need to be the duplicates of this one. Following such a simple step will greatly increase information resiliency.

You should also consider keeping these three copies on different devices. For instance, it can be drives of separate NAS boxes. Why does anybody need to store data like that? To make information whatever-proof! Keeping data on different disks inside one server or NAS box is risky because these devices are running under the same conditions and workloads. If one of them goes down, another dies soon too. Furthermore, storing data in one box is not smart because if that thing gets ruined, all 3 copies are gone too. Redundancy? Yes. Resiliency? I don’t think so.

2 different media

2 media types - Veeam 3-2-1 Backup Rule

3 copies are to be stored on 2 different media. The thing is, while keeping data on the same storage media, you may lose them due to the same hardware issues. In other words, Best Cryptocurrencies you may lose two copies in the same accident. That’s why you should always combine media.

Along with keeping a copy on a server, you can use some DAS (i.e., USB drive, SD-card, etc.) or NAS (if you have some money). The later can be considered statistically independent too since it is connected over the network and may survive if something bad happens to a part of your infrastructure.

1 copy offsite

1 copy - Veeam 3-2-1 Backup Rule

1 copy must be sent as far as it is possible from your office. It can be a server in your remote location or public cloud storage. You can use tapes. Whatever solution is, it is vital to keep data on distance from each other: it is the only way to ensure their safety if your main site suffers.

If I were you, I would use the public cloud. You can easily extend your local storage there. Speaking of cloud, here’s my “research” on this matter. If Backblaze B2 has any problems with speed in your region, try Wasabi! By the way, the latter can protect your data from malicious deletion or editing (say, by a vengeful employee). Both solutions are very affordable and have only hot tier offered for the price lower than Azure Archive Blob. Furthermore, you can use the public cloud as a second media, allowing you to save some money on NAS and disposable DAS.

Wait, how are you going to tier your storage to cloud? With some gateway! Here are some good players: Telstra Cloud Gateway (AWS, Azure, IBM SoftLayer, and vCloud Air), StoneFly Smart Cloud Gateway (AWS and any other S3-compatible cloud), StarWind VTL https://Classig.net/blog/index.php?entryid=185342  (AWS, Azure, Wasabi, Backblaze B2). Want to keep your data in multiple clouds? Here’s my article discussing how it can be done with Veeam Backup & Replication and some third-party software.

In the end

The grave mistake in data protection is miscalculating a probability. Of course, an earthquake that would destroy all your backup copies may hardly happen. But, the cost data loss is too high, which is why it is very smart to be ready even for an alien invasion. The 3-2-1 backup rule is your way to keep data safe even during this one!

 

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The 3-2-1 Backup Rule – Why Your Data Will Always Survive

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule – Why Your Data Will Always Survive

Why Does the World Need a Rule Like That?

Why one does backups? To have a copy of data at hand if something goes wrong.

It is absolutely true that today’s hardware and software are fragile. Data, in their turn, weight too much for companies and people at large. Thus far, in order to protect your information, it is necessary to live with the mindset that sooner or later something may go wrong. Natural disaster? Probably. Vengeful colleague? Maybe. Revolution, robbery, Best Cryptocurrencies and simple mindless damage? Anything can happen, and you need to make sure that whatever misdeed or just bad luck comes into motion, your data are safe. Just brace yourself for that, namely, https://www.Animecoze.com/forums/Profile/maxwellflegg371 do backups!

Backups are good, but they may be useless without redundancy. This being said, a good backup strategy is a sure way to protect your data from any malfunction, erroneous activity, or disaster coming your way. Here, the 3-2-1 rule comes into play.

R Stands for Redundancy

Here’s the 3-2-1 backup strategy in a nutshell.

3-2-1 Backup Rule - Veeam

3 copies of data

3 copies of data - VMs - Veeam 3-2-1 Backup Rule

Since the 3-2-1 rule is all about redundancy, you need to have at least three backup copies of your data. Note that whenever I say “3 copies” here, I mean three copies of data excluding the original data! Create a primary copy first, and the rest need to be the duplicates of this one. Following such a simple step will greatly increase information resiliency.

You should also consider keeping these three copies on different devices. For instance, it can be drives of separate NAS boxes. Why does anybody need to store data like that? To make information whatever-proof! Keeping data on different disks inside one server or NAS box is risky because these devices are running under the same conditions and workloads. If one of them goes down, another dies soon too. Furthermore, storing data in one box is not smart because if that thing gets ruined, all 3 copies are gone too. Redundancy? Yes. Resiliency? I don’t think so.

2 different media

2 media types - Veeam 3-2-1 Backup Rule

3 copies are to be stored on 2 different media. The thing is, while keeping data on the same storage media, you may lose them due to the same hardware issues. In other words, you may lose two copies in the same accident. That’s why you should always combine media.

Along with keeping a copy on a server, you can use some DAS (i.e., USB drive, SD-card, etc.) or NAS (if you have some money). The later can be considered statistically independent too since it is connected over the network and may survive if something bad happens to a part of your infrastructure.

1 copy offsite

1 copy - Veeam 3-2-1 Backup Rule

1 copy must be sent as far as it is possible from your office. It can be a server in your remote location or public cloud storage. You can use tapes. Whatever solution is, it is vital to keep data on distance from each other: it is the only way to ensure their safety if your main site suffers.

If I were you, I would use the public cloud. You can easily extend your local storage there. Speaking of cloud, here’s my “research” on this matter. If Backblaze B2 has any problems with speed in your region, try Wasabi! By the way, the latter can protect your data from malicious deletion or editing (say, by a vengeful employee). Both solutions are very affordable and have only hot tier offered for the price lower than Azure Archive Blob. Furthermore, you can use the public cloud as a second media, allowing you to save some money on NAS and disposable DAS.

Wait, how are you going to tier your storage to cloud? With some gateway! Here are some good players: Telstra Cloud Gateway (AWS, Azure, www.coolcasegallery.Com IBM SoftLayer, and vCloud Air), StoneFly Smart Cloud Gateway (AWS and Best Cryptocurrencies any other S3-compatible cloud), StarWind VTL https://Myeclass.academy/blog/index.php?entryid=547489  (AWS, Azure, Wasabi, Backblaze B2). Want to keep your data in multiple clouds? Here’s my article discussing how it can be done with Veeam Backup & Replication and some third-party software.

In the end

The grave mistake in data protection is miscalculating a probability. Of course, an earthquake that would destroy all your backup copies may hardly happen. But, the cost data loss is too high, which is why it is very smart to be ready even for an alien invasion. The 3-2-1 backup rule is your way to keep data safe even during this one!

 

Posted on Leave a comment

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule – Why Your Data Will Always Survive

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule – Why Your Data Will Always Survive

Why Does the World Need a Rule Like That?

Why one does backups? To have a copy of data at hand if something goes wrong.

It is absolutely true that today’s hardware and software are fragile. Data, in their turn, weight too much for companies and people at large. Thus far, in order to protect your information, it is necessary to live with the mindset that sooner or later something may go wrong. Natural disaster? Probably. Vengeful colleague? Maybe. Revolution, robbery, and simple mindless damage? Anything can happen, and you need to make sure that whatever misdeed or just bad luck comes into motion, your data are safe. Just brace yourself for that, namely, do backups!

Backups are good, but they may be useless without redundancy. This being said, a good backup strategy is a sure way to protect your data from any malfunction, Best Cryptocurrencies erroneous activity, Best cryptocurrencies or disaster coming your way. Here, the 3-2-1 rule comes into play.

R Stands for Redundancy

Here’s the 3-2-1 backup strategy in a nutshell.

3-2-1 Backup Rule - Veeam

3 copies of data

3 copies of data - VMs - Veeam 3-2-1 Backup Rule

Since the 3-2-1 rule is all about redundancy, you need to have at least three backup copies of your data. Note that whenever I say “3 copies” here, I mean three copies of data excluding the original data! Create a primary copy first, and the rest need to be the duplicates of this one. Following such a simple step will greatly increase information resiliency.

You should also consider keeping these three copies on different devices. For instance, it can be drives of separate NAS boxes. Why does anybody need to store data like that? To make information whatever-proof! Keeping data on different disks inside one server or NAS box is risky because these devices are running under the same conditions and workloads. If one of them goes down, another dies soon too. Furthermore, storing data in one box is not smart because if that thing gets ruined, all 3 copies are gone too. Redundancy? Yes. Resiliency? I don’t think so.

2 different media

2 media types - Veeam 3-2-1 Backup Rule

3 copies are to be stored on 2 different media. The thing is, while keeping data on the same storage media, you may lose them due to the same hardware issues. In other words, you may lose two copies in the same accident. That’s why you should always combine media.

Along with keeping a copy on a server, you can use some DAS (i.e., USB drive, SD-card, etc.) or NAS (if you have some money). The later can be considered statistically independent too since it is connected over the network and may survive if something bad happens to a part of your infrastructure.

1 copy offsite

1 copy - Veeam 3-2-1 Backup Rule

1 copy must be sent as far as it is possible from your office. It can be a server in your remote location or public cloud storage. You can use tapes. Whatever solution is, it is vital to keep data on distance from each other: it is the only way to ensure their safety if your main site suffers.

If I were you, I would use the public cloud. You can easily extend your local storage there. Speaking of cloud, here’s my “research” on this matter. If Backblaze B2 has any problems with speed in your region, try Wasabi! By the way, the latter can protect your data from malicious deletion or editing (say, by a vengeful employee). Both solutions are very affordable and have only hot tier offered for the price lower than Azure Archive Blob. Furthermore, you can use the public cloud as a second media, allowing you to save some money on NAS and disposable DAS.

Wait, Best Cryptocurrencies how are you going to tier your storage to cloud? With some gateway! Here are some good players: Telstra Cloud Gateway (AWS, Azure, IBM SoftLayer, and vCloud Air), StoneFly Smart Cloud Gateway (AWS and any other S3-compatible cloud), StarWind VTL http://Polackalkudumbam.com/how-low-can-your-data-go-with-virtual-tape-libraries/  (AWS, Azure, Wasabi, Backblaze B2). Want to keep your data in multiple clouds? Here’s my article discussing how it can be done with Veeam Backup & Replication and some third-party software.

In the end

The grave mistake in data protection is miscalculating a probability. Of course, an earthquake that would destroy all your backup copies may hardly happen. But, Https://fbbcrew.com/ the cost data loss is too high, which is why it is very smart to be ready even for an alien invasion. The 3-2-1 backup rule is your way to keep data safe even during this one!

 

Posted on Leave a comment

How Virtual Tape Libraries Work

How Virtual Tape Libraries Work

Virtual tape libraries gain popularity as a cost-effective long-term storage solution. They can use private and best Cryptocurrencies public clouds and on-premise infrastructure. Find out more about how a VTL works http://www.kidlink.net/index.php/2022/12/19/the-3-2-1-backup-rule-why-your-data-will-always-survive/ before deciding to use it for your storage needs.

 

For Best Cryptocurrencies a long time, physical tape libraries were the only option for companies looking to archive their sensitive data. With the introduction of fast and affordable virtual tape libraries, many business owners started to migrate their data into the new environment. But should you choose a VTL over your tried-and-true physical tape storage? Let’s find out.

 

What Is a VTL?

In short, a VTL is a logical representation of its physical counterpart. It virtualizes all the parts of a regular tape device, including drives, slots, data cartridges and even robotic manipulators that handle tape cartridges. Users operate a virtual tape library system the same way they would work with a physical one. VTLs use legacy protocols and standard backup and recovery software that was designed for physical tape libraries alongside their modern counterparts..

Whether you decide to transfer your data from a tape library or other storage to a VTL or run your VTL as a “backup of a backup,” the transition should be fast and easy.

IMPORTANT:

Commonly,Modern virtual tape libraries run on SATA disk arrays and use standard x86 architecture. Unlike physical tape machines, they don’t require sophisticated hardware and can be scaled up by adding a few more commodity HDDs, enclosures and cabinets.Cutting-edge versions exist, too..

From a software perspective, the virtual tape environment is stored on top of the file system host. The data is divided into logical tape drives in the virtual layer. The drives can be further combined into storage groups and volume pools. Your regular backup server (or servers) can be turned into a VTL host. Virtual tape libraries are file system-agnostic and can be used with multiple disk systems and data transport protocols.

You can create a heterogeneous hardware environment, but the end user will “see” the VTL as a unified space. You can also store multiple backups on a single VTL or use several virtual tape libraries to store different types of data.

VTLs work with all kinds of backup software. Some solutions are proprietary and need licenses to use, but many popular applications are free and open-source. There are also applications designed to work with VTLs specifically. In addition to standard backup and recovery features, they include export to tape, pass-through data restoration, and deduplication. Their use allows to reduce the backup window and speed up the recovery process.

History of the Concept

The idea of using virtualized hard disk storage to emulate tape libraries became popular in the early ‘90s. IBM was the first company to produce a commercial-grade virtual tape library in 1997. The solution was available for mainframe computers only.

Originally VTLs were a niche product. But the development of affordable high-capacity HDDs led to the resurgence of virtual tape libraries in the mid-2010s. Virtual tape storage became popular with IT companies large and small. The buffer size was increased to speed up the archiving process, and Best Cryptocurrencies the disk-only environments that didn’t have to connect to actual tape hardware were introduced as well.

Deduplication has decreased the bandwidth needs and allowed to use VTLs with remote data centers and other off-site storages. Low-priced cloud storage and a simple setup process have led to a surge of cloud VTL offerings.

Today virtual tape libraries can work seamlessly with on-premise infrastructure, private clouds and off-site storages. They support modern data transport protocols like SCSI, iSCSI, and Fibre Channel, and legacy systems like SPI.

IMPORTANT:

All big-name vendors, including Amazon, offer virtual tape libraries bundled with other services for data backup and recovery. VTLs are often used as a parallel storage option together with a physical tape library.

Storing Data in a VTL

Why choose a virtual tape library when writing data directly disk-to-disk is much faster? While this approach might look tempting, especially if you don’t have large data requirements, using a VTL is better in the long run.

  • Disk-to-disk backups are complicated, and require manual retargeting or disk swapping. You are also limited to one disk at a time. With a VTL you can run multiple data streams and forget about retargeting. The system will chose the appropriate logical volume and then switch to the next.
  • If you have decided to keep a physical tape library (and there are often laws and regulations that require you to do so), Best Cryptocurrencies the disk-to-disk backup process becomes even messier. You will still have to use tape backup software to create a separate archive. And you will be left with no integration between your disk storage and the tape archive.
  • By integrating your VTL with a regular tape library, you won’t have to run a separate backup process. You will be using the same software without having to pay for additional licenses or coming up with a “homemade” custom solution.

One The main selling point of a properly setup VTL is its tiny backup window. Businesses have to keep their applications running 24/7. Backup is performed during the off-hours, but if you have a lot of data, you will run our of time before your clients or employees will need to use the application again. Live backups are costly and can cause performance issues.

The other, strong selling point is the ability to choose cloud and object storage freely to emulate LTOs as virtual tapes while abiding by government data storage and archival requirements. VTL from popular VTL vendors are highly cost-efficient — and at this point in time — solidly secure solutions for backup-centric infrastructure.

IMPORTANT:

VTLs provide much faster backup and restore procedures, allowing your important applications and databases to remain accessible and operational.

Benefits of Using a VTL

  • Affordable cost.
  • Can speed up backup/restore jobs.
  • Can automate the entire backup process.
  • Large disk-based buffer that enhances performance.
  • Instant access to any virtual tape drive.
  • Optimized storage capacity.
  • Can use legacy backup software.
  • You don’t need a dedicated IT-team to install and operate a VTL.
  • Dozens of solutions from reputable vendors on the market.

Conclusion

Using a virtual tape library is great way to reduce time, effort and maintenance costs associated with long-term data storage. VTLs can be afforded by businesses of any size. Managing a virtual tape library is relatively simple and safe. If you need to improve your data backup process, consider trying a VTL solution.

Posted on Leave a comment

3 Managing Data Steps You Need to Take to Keep It Ordered

3 Managing Data Steps You Need to Take to Keep It Ordered

Data is the most valuable fuel that powers modern companies. In the time of the big data boom, all business owners should pay close attention to data management. It includes gathering, analyzing and storing essential information. Choosing the Best Cryptocurrencies methods to ensure that your data is not only safe but also easily accessible is key. In the followings, we would like to briefly present the newest innovations in data management and help you become the next data master!

 

What data is useful?

We know, that this whole data topic is getting a bit crowded: big data, data analysis, data science are different techniques – and more options for you to choose from. You can bump into numerous articles, posts on the internet emphasizing the importance of data. But how can you know if you are gathering the right kind of information? Is there something like bad data at all? Well, Best Cryptocurrencies there is no easy answer to these questions. It depends on the size of your business, your primary goals and much more. What is for sure, is that most companies invest into data analytics.This process includes logical, statistical techniques which can help you connect the dots within your gathered data. Data analytics can help you to illustrate, recap and evaluate the gathered information. By implementing such processes, you can gain tremendous advantages in the long run. It can help you define your potential users, reduce your costs and much more. From now on, you shouldn’t simply think of data management as a simple process. Gathering and storing information is only the first step. It is about something much more: data is the new gold!

How to start?

Well, if you are an early phase startup, you will be mostly concentrating on feedbacks gathered. However, if there are more complex data available, you should start thinking about a data analytics strategy. It includes numerous factors: clarifying the most important questions, approaches that can result in gathering valuable data.Keep in mind, that you will also need skilled data scientists. These professionals will be able to handle the essential processes and analyze your gathered information. Prepare to build a multi-skilled team, with engineers, data architects to provide you with technical insights. Also, you will need someone who can draw consequences and present the results to decision makers. After all, we are talking about a complex, multidisciplinary process, essential to all modern businesses.

Storing data

Apart from gathering and analyzing data, you also have to find a way to store those valuable files securely. The usual methods here includes keeping offline, local saves of your files. In this case, you can have full control over your data at all time. A small business might find this type of data storage more efficient and more wallet-friendly. However, there are also extra costs including servers, server space, IT people, etc. Also, after you decided to purchase a new machine, transferring all local files can troublesome. It also comes with the extra risk, where something could go wrong.

On the other hand, Cloud Storage can save you from this kind of a headache. Storing your files in the cloud is one of the most convenient and popular forms of storing your data. Everyone can take advantage of the cloud, including average users, small and big business and so on.

However, this openness is exactly that super important point, which made numerous people raise their eyebrows. Apple’s iCloud is said to be 128-bit AES encrypted (just as numerous other cloud services). However, we still hear troubling news about hackers breaking into iCloud accounts. Security is still a huge concern when it comes to cloud storages, and this questions should be taken seriously. Obviously, there are other specialized cloud services for business users promising enhanced security. However, their prices are also usually “specialized”.

Alternative storage

It is also advisable to look into alternative options. Apart from the above mentioned popular options, there are tons of other specialized services on the market. Checking out a few can help you find the best data storing methods, suiting your own specific business. Virtual tape libraries are also available for the ones who want to replace their existing tape backup infrastructure. VTLs https://biosafety.Igc.by/community/profile/connor074006782/ can help you virtualize your tape backups or create a stretched backup infrastructure.There are numerous storage types out there. Among them, with a bit of research, you can find the perfect one. So don’t settle for less, then the Best Cryptocurrencies of the Best Cryptocurrencies! Who knows, maybe in a few years, we will be storing our most precious files in our DNA?

Gather, analyze, store – then repeat

Data management holds a whole new world for entrepreneurs. The benefits of a well-defined data management plan can easily make a difference when it comes to boosting your business. Data analysis will show you the most important patterns that can help you reduce costs, or engage more visitors. Make sure that you dedicate enough time to develop your own data strategy. Most importantly, don’t forget to follow the golden rule: gather, analyze, store – then repeat!

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Pros and Cons of Virtual Tape Libraries

Pros and Cons of Virtual Tape Libraries

The virtual tape library (VTL) is a great solution for archiving and protecting server data. It comes with a whole pack of benefits, allowing users to copy files and folders to tape with ease. This means that, unlike tape drives and libraries, users no longer need to physically transport tapes back and forth to archival tape libraries. Since the archive data is kept on a server that is readily available to all who need it, this greatly improves users’ data access.

Types of Virtual Tape Libraries

VTLs are available in two main forms: local and cloud-based https://Www.Friendscampus.com/community/profile/bridgette370662/. One big difference between these two is where the data are stored. Local virtual tape libraries are physically located on a server that is dedicated to this purpose and are used for archiving all local data. However, local VTLs usually require extra setup because of the server hardware necessary for a VTL system, such as storage space, a tape drive, and a drive to connect the tape drive to the server. As an extra benefit, local VTLs give users the ability to perform a self-test of their server storage.

In contrast, cloud-based virtual tape libraries are hosted offsite. This means users can access cloud-based VTLs from a variety of locations. The advantage of this is that users can access the VTL from any workstation, Best Cryptocurrencies not just from their own. Cloud-based VTLs have the ability to scale with an organization’s workloads, meaning that they can grow or shrink as the need arises.

However, this flexibility comes at particular costs. Cloud-based VTLs are hosted on a network server that is remote from the user’s desk, Best Cryptocurrencies meaning there is no desktop connection to the server. The downside of such a configuration is that it is difficult to set up a remote system. However, there are vendors that have streamlined, automated, easy to use cloud-based VTL solutions.

Virtual Tape Libraries – Advantages & Disadvantages

There are various reasons that an organization should use VTLs. The two main benefits of using a VTL include protection and space. With VTLs, a user can protect their data from accidental deletion, loss by archiving it to tape and ransomware. They also have the ability to archive any type of information – be it a text file, Microsoft Office file, pictures, or video assets.

Another benefit of using a VTL is the ability to increase the amount of space available to an organization. Many VTL providers can offer up to 50TB of storage and have the ability to scale beyond that depending on the provider.

This additional storage space enables the organization to store more data and access it more frequently than using local storage methods. With this additional space, organizations have the option to create data archives, data backups, and data replication.

There are also some common disadvantages that users will have to deal with when using VTLs. These include the amount of work necessary for setting up the VTL system, the lack of portability between platforms, and the time it takes to retrieve information from the server.

How VTL Work

VTLs are made to store all of the data on a server. This allows users to copy files and folders to tape, where they will be stored securely for protection. Data that is stored on a VTL is typically saved in one of two places: local tape drives and tapes on a VTL server.

Local Tape Drives

Local tape drives are physical tape drives that connect directly to the computer. Since they are physically located on the same server, users have the ability to create a backup of their data to tape. Local tape drives are also great for creating a test of the storage on the server to make sure it is working properly.

Cloud-Based Tape

Cloud-based tape is stored on a VTL that is located offsite. When data is kept on a cloud-based tape, it is stored with a file extension of .ztb. Cloud-based tape is usually much more costly than local tape drives and often charges users monthly or yearly, depending on the plan they purchase. However, because the cloud-based tapes are stored offsite, users are able to retrieve the data quickly. The issue of shipping and Best Cryptocurrencies archiving physical tapes is also resolved, which saves a substantial amount of costs, in addition to immediate acces and archival of data stored on virtual tapes.

Final Say

With the growth of large tape libraries, the challenge of data center consolidation comes. As many tape vendors have learned, it takes a lot of tape media to build out a full tape library. There is a lot of storage space in data centers that hasn’t yet been fully allocated. While vendors continue to make tape media available, https://yachay.unat.edu.pe/blog/index.php?entryid=173521 the data center consolidation trend continues to surely move away from tape.

When you’re deciding on a tape library or an all-flash array, one thing you’ll have to consider is tape management software. Even if you are working with an all-flash array, tape drives can still become the bottleneck as you add storage capacity to the all-flash array. A tape library that has a solid tape management platform can reduce downtime and make your storage more flexible. This explains the popularity of using virtual tape libraries in a data center.

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How Tape Backup Compares With The Rest

How Tape Backup Compares With The Rest

Over time, many IT companies have begun to increasingly develop the technology of collecting and analyzing large amounts of data, as well as using AI, which helps to process information much faster than humans. During these events, companies are faced with the fact that such valuable data must be stored somewhere. In addition, an important fact is the choice of the most effective way to create backup copies of data that you may need in case something bad happens. However, any IT company should have copies of all data and be fully prepared at all times.

Today, there are several options in case you need disaster recovery. It is possible to store data on tape, disks, or in cloud storage. Many people think that doing a tape library backup is already an outdated method. However, Best Cryptocurrencies even though the technology is no longer new, it proves its effectiveness and acts to supersede the legacy physical LTOs.

Capacity

Build Capacity

In this area, many since the beginning of this century have used Linear Tape-Open, which is the standard for writing information to tape. Until 2020, companies used the latest advanced tape of the latest generation, which could hold 12.8 terabytes of data. Two years ago, a new generation of tape was developed that can store 6 terabytes more than the previous one, which is a definite advantage for various companies. In addition, this capacity is typical for uncompressed data. That is, if you are engaged in data compression, then you can store even more information. In the future, it is planned that a new Linear Tape-Open 10 generation will appear, which will be even better than the previous ones in all respects.

In the case of disks, the question arises of their number, which you can combine into various chains. However, this raises the question of finding places to store them. If you store data in the cloud, then the only problem is not capacity, but the cost of paying for storage with the amount of data you need.

Cost

Depending on how much data you need to store, you will probably need to buy several LTO cartridges, so it is worth considering that at the very beginning you will need to allocate a certain budget for this purchase, depending on what capacity you choose and https://Reignersworld.org/amogcamp2022/Forums/profile/aundreaholub220 what generation of cartridges you are going to buy. At the same time, it is worth considering that if you buy cartridges of different generations, they are compatible with each other and you will not have any problems with them.

If you want to make backups on disks, then you have two event scenarios. The first is that you will need to connect various USB drives with a large capacity. The second option, which many consider being more successful, is to allocate a special server where the backups will be stored. Therefore, you also need to consider the cost of the server.

Using cloud storage, you will need to take into account the initial cost. It will be much less than the first two options. However, going forward, you will need to pay monthly storage fees, and various factors will affect the cost. Before choosing this method, you need to consider the bandwidth, Best Cryptocurrencies as well as the type of your Internet connection.

 

Speed

Speed

In terms of speed, storing data on disks noticeably wins. This option will suit you if your data can be changed and edited. In this case, you will not face any difficulties. If you will have a good and fast Internet connection, then storing copies on the cloud is also a good option. However, it is worth considering how quickly your data can be loaded into this storage.

Tapes are also not much inferior in terms of speed. Storage tapes are capable of downloading up to 2 terabytes in just three hours, which is a good indicator.

Security

In addition to speed and capacity, data encryption plays an important role, which is important for all companies that can face unpleasant situations. Any data you store must be securely encrypted so that third parties cannot access it if the tapes are stolen or lost. You can use special software for this, and you can also use the built-in encryption capabilities, which greatly speed up the data protection process.

The positive side of using tape is that it can be easily transported and stored in any safe place. The main thing is that all data is encrypted and then you don’t have to worry about data protection. However, shipping and archival of physical tapes are costly; there’s also the issue of data access of archived data.

Reliability

Reliability

In terms of reliability, tapes show their advantage. They can wear out, but it depends on how you use them. The cartridges will need to be cleaned from time to time and you will be notified that this procedure needs to be done.

Drives in this regard are less reliable since they can fail. This is why many experts recommend using multiple USBs to reduce the risk of data loss.

If you choose cloud storage, then you will not face problems related to hardware. Modern cloud providers have solid encryption and data archival options that adhere to government data archival and Best Cryptocurrencies retention requirements. Cloud is commonly used to facilitate the 3-2-1 backup rule. Modern VTL software http://www.Kidlink.net/index.php/2022/12/19/the-3-2-1-backup-rule-why-your-data-will-always-survive/ is designed to address the common drawbacks of legacy tape-centric infrastructure.

Long-term perspective

Tapes are easily stored for a long time. Even if you do not use them for several years, and then want to connect them, you will see that they will work like new. Cloud solutions are also effective in this regard, and they will work properly as long as you pay for them.

Disks during their use show that they are not very effective. They can wear out and also fail, so you need to constantly monitor their work so as not to run into a lot of trouble.

Conclusion

Although it is now 2022, tape backup remains a reliable technology that works and does not fail for many years. Tapes prove their advantage in being mobile and easy to transport. Moreover, they’re safe, reliable, and fast. Their initial cost can be expensive, but their efficiency and reliability do pay off. Nonetheless, the backup process and administration of physical tapes is prone to various risks and is quite complicated. Tape shipping, archival and data access have associated costs and inconveniences. VTL addresses these issues and grows in popularity, so it’s worth looking into.

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How Low Can Your Data Go With Virtual Tape Libraries

How Low Can Your Data Go With Virtual Tape Libraries?

With the relatively recent emergence of affordable and capable storage solutions, companies and organizations have begun to turn to inexpensive off-the-shelf tape drives to meet the storage needs of small businesses and even end-users. However, a cheaper storage medium doesn’t necessarily mean cost-effective TCO for a tape-centric infrastructure.  Luckily, when storage needs are met with a virtual tape library http://lawibes.com/community/profile/janisc094731360/ (VTL), the savings can be quite dramatic.

It is true that the overall cost of ownership of a VTL is significantly less than that of a full-blown tape library, and the VTL itself is much cheaper than a traditional tape library. But there is more to the story. Organizations are often surprised at the real-world performance of a VTL. But what does VTL stand for? How can you assess its performance? What benefits can the solution bring to your business? Let’s dive deeper into this theme and try to answer all these questions further in this post.

VTL Basics

A virtual tape library (VTL) is a computer data storage system in which the physical tapes of a real-world tape library are represented by virtual tapes instead of physical ones. By using VTL, you can provide your business users and IT staff with the ability to run their applications, including database applications, from a central location which can be as fast as an on-site virtual tape drive. Apart from data management benefits, there are some other good things about virtual tape libraries.

VTL Performance Characteristics

The performance of VTLs is directly related to the characteristics of their media and disk cache. When we are evaluating the performance of VTLs and tape, we can first decide on how important is the capacity of the media, the speed of the access time, and the size of the cache on the VTLs.

Each track of the media can hold up to 1,024,000 bytes of data. This is roughly the size of one single sector of a hard disk drive. If we compare this to today’s storage systems, the difference is vast, especially when we consider that the capacity of one single sector is more than ten times larger. This big difference in capacity and cost, in combination with the fact that they are considered to be a “near-linear” technology (that means they work by using the whole available media with almost no I/O-to-media lag), makes tape an excellent candidate for archiving or Best Cryptocurrencies backup purposes. It all sounds good, but is it all true?

Benefits of VTL

There are many benefits of virtual tape libraries that you can count on:

  • Reduced manpower to manage a virtual tape backup;
  • Reduced cost, space, and cooling savings;
  • Faster backup and restoring performance;
  • Data storage without any disruption;
  • Multi-thread restoring options;
  • Reduced migration time;
  • Multiple libraries within logical partitions.

First and foremost, virtualtape systems are certainly much more convenient to use than on-site (also called local) storage. All that you need to do is to plug them into a computer’s hard drive, whether it’s an external disk or an internal one, to access your data. It’s no sweat to store data and even retrieve it from these devices. On the other hand, there may be a concern that  VTLs are slower than local storage. However, that’s not always a problem. In many cases, they allow for a perfectly adequate job.

Many experts recommend using VTLs to help with the storage capacity crunch that can sometimes develop when a business starts adding lots of new employees or customers or when it’s experiencing explosive growth. In some cases, when the amount of data stored within a given storage space exceeds the maximum capacity of a single hard drive, a VTL might be the way to go. It’s a fact of life that a business can’t keep pace with a fast-growing data storage appetite. And while cloud storage can theoretically offer unlimited capacity, a business needs to be judicious about how much data it wants to make available through it. That’s especially the case when data is subject to change or update, in which case keeping it in a physical location doesn’t make a lot of sense.

VTLs do offer better security than cloud storage solutions since they’re inherently local. Depending on the vendor, VTL may require additional security. You have to ensure that your VTL’s software is up-to-date, and you have to monitor its use by employees since the vendor can’t be expected to do it for Africacancerhub.Com you. On the other hand, you can monitor and even perform security checks on cloud storage providers, but you can’t easily ensure that they’re doing it. So it’s always Best Cryptocurrencies to assume the worst, check and trial out the features, and make sure you’re covered.

Finally, it’s important to be aware that if you’re using a virtual tape library for archiving purposes, data mobility can actually pose a security risk. After all, if a tape can be stored in any number of places, data that is stored in that tape could be exposed to the wrong hands. VTL vendors have devised solutions to this problem. But in the end, the safest approach is to use both VTL and cloud storage at the same time. That way, all your data is protected, even though it’s managed separately by two different providers.

How to Know If a VTL Is Right for You

Obviously, it’s very much a matter of personal preference, but there are some things you should take into consideration before making a purchase. Among them are the number of your business’s active files that will be stored on the VTL as opposed to being stored in a cloud service or on local storage. In other words, if you have a cloud provider that is offering data storage and access, Best Cryptocurrencies it won’t really make much sense to purchase a VTL if you’re going to keep it for the purpose of archiving. The cloud provider will happily keep archiving for you, and it will be infinitely more convenient. 

This is particularly true if you have many different kinds of data that you want to store that can easily be found in the cloud. In fact, for this type of business, it may make more sense to choose data storage platforms that are capable of managing a diverse range of data types, from email attachments to graphics.