VMware environments are widely used for virtualizing IT infrastructures, and as such, implementing a solid backup strategy for VMware VMs is a key consideration for IT administrators. Tape backup, despite being an older technology, continues to offer distinct advantages.
Introduction to Tape Backup
Tape backup has been a critical data storage and backup method for decades. Although disk-based backups and cloud solutions have become more common in recent years, tape backup remains a crucial part of many organizations' data protection strategies. This is especially true in industries that need to store vast amounts of data for long retention periods, such as healthcare, finance, and media.
Tape storage involves the use of magnetic tapes to record digital data. Unlike hard drives or SSDs, tapes are sequential storage devices, meaning they store data in a continuous stream. Traditionally, tape backups have been seen as the go-to solution for archiving and long-term storage due to their affordability, reliability, and scalability.
Why Do Many Organizations Still Rely on Tape for Backup?
1. Cost-Effectiveness
Tape storage is often much cheaper compared to disk-based storage or cloud services, especially when considering the cost per terabyte. Tapes are also relatively inexpensive to purchase, and with the availability of high-capacity tape formats, they provide an affordable way to store large amounts of data over extended periods.
2. Long-Term Archiving and Retention
Organizations that need to retain data for regulatory or compliance purposes often rely on tape backups because they offer high durability and longevity. Tapes can store data for decades, with some manufacturers claiming tape media has a shelf life of up to 30 years. This makes them an ideal solution for archiving critical data that does not need to be accessed frequently but must be kept for long periods.
3. Data Security and Offsite Storage
Tape backups are often used for offsite storage, either in a physical offsite location or through tape shipments to a disaster recovery site. This provides an additional layer of data protection during disasters.
4. Scalability
Tape backup solutions are easily scalable. As data grows, more tapes can be added to the library without significant increases in infrastructure costs. The capacity of modern tape drives continues to grow, with some LTO (Linear Tape-Open) formats reaching up to 18TB of compressed storage per cartridge.
The Drawbacks of Tape Backup
1. Slower Access and Retrieval Times
Unlike disk storage, where data is instantly available for retrieval, tape storage requires sequential reading, meaning that the tape must be physically moved to the right location for data retrieval. This can result in significantly slower backup restoration times, especially when restoring large datasets or individual files from a tape.
2. Physical Media Management
Managing physical tapes is a cumbersome and time-consuming task. Tapes need to be organized, cataloged, and maintained in a secure environment. It can also be difficult to ensure that tapes are properly stored and preserved over long periods, which is essential for data integrity.
3. Complexity in Backup Management
While modern backup software offers integration with tape systems, managing backups to tape often requires additional complexity. For example, an organization might need to deploy specific backup solutions, such as VMware-compatible tape libraries or standalone tape drives, along with managing the necessary data pipelines to send VMware backups to the tapes.
Disk vs. Tape: Which Should You Choose?
The decision between disk and tape for VMware backup depends on your specific backup needs and organizational priorities. For environments where speed, efficiency, and ease of use are paramount, disk-based backups offer the best solution. However, for long-term data retention, cost-effective archiving, and offsite storage, tape backups remain a reliable and secure option.
Many organizations opt for a hybrid approach, combining both disk and tape storage to balance the speed of disk backups with the cost-efficiency and long-term retention of tape backups. VMware backup solutions, such as Vinchin Backup & Recovery, are increasingly integrating tape support, providing organizations with flexible and comprehensive data protection strategies.
How to Choose the Right VMware Tape Backup Solution?
Select a tape library that supports the required data volume and backup frequency based on the scale of your environment and backup needs. The tape library's capacity and read/write speed should meet your backup requirements.
Each tape has a limited storage capacity, so it is important to plan tape usage according to the size of your VMware environment and backup frequency. For example, ensure that the capacity of a single tape is compatible with the size of the VMware VM backup to avoid overfilling or wasting space.
To efficiently manage tapes, it is recommended to use a labeling and classification system, such as categorizing tapes into long-term retention, short-term retention, and expired tapes.
Ensure that the backup software supports tape devices and can integrate with your VMware environment. The backup software should support features like incremental backups, snapshot backups, compression, and encryption.
Conclusion
Tape is still a relevant and reliable method for backing up VMware environments, especially for long-term retention, offsite storage, and compliance needs. By choosing the right backup software, hardware, and strategies, you can build a solid VMware backup to tape solution that meets your data protection and disaster recovery goals.
The upcoming tape backup feature in Vinchin Backup & Recovery perfectly meets the above conditions. The new version will be released soon, with more detailed information available at that time.
