The time has come for the reveal of the newest generation of LTO tape! Recently it was announced by the LTO Program that the LTO-8 data tape is available for licensing by media manufactures. It has been two years since the LTO-7 tape premiered and the newest generation is set to double in capacity. The capabilities of the LTO-8 are sure to add value to your back up storage system as it will require less tape to provide more storage.

The max raw data capacity in the previous generation of tape is 6.0 TB but the LTO-8 offers 12 TB.  The head channel count has also doubled, going from 16 to 32. The time to write to the full tape at max compressed speed has increased as well, going from 5:50 hours to 8:45. The compressed transfer rate has gone from 750 MB/s to 1180 MB/s.

The tapes will continue to offer encryption and WORM options. A new feature of the LTO-8 is the ability to increase the cartridge capacity of an LTO-7 tape by 50%. By initializing a LTO-7 tape in an LTO-8 drive as a LTO-8 type M media, they will now be able to store up to 22.5TB of data. LTO-8 drives can read and write to LTO-7 tapes so the investment already made on those is not lost.

There are a lot of factors in deciding if now is the right time to upgrade your storage solution including budget, date of last upgrade, usage, and the capabilities of the new tape. Another consideration should be your plan for recycling your old media.  Upgrading to a newer tape generation can be costly upfront but in the long run a good investment, especially if you are using a large quantity of tape. To help fund the project of changing your drives and purchasing new tapes, consider recycling your end of life LTO’s. NSA, Inc. will purchase most used tapes for recycling through our buyback program. Data destruction is included on all buybacks. The process is both NIST 800-88 and DoD compliant so there is no concern for data ending up in the wrong hands. Do not pay to have the tapes removed and recycled, receive money you can put towards your new storage needs!    

The end of the fourth quarter is right around the corner and with that comes possible decisions about changes in your storage. This may entail switching to another type of data storage, configuring a hybrid technology, or making system and product upgrades. If tape has or will have a role in your storage solution, you should also have a plan in place for when they need to be retired. Rather than take up room in your data center, tapes need to be safely removed and put through data destruction that you can rely on as secure. At NSA, Inc. we are a tape company with the equipment and knowledge to make sure this process is smooth and cost effective for your company.
The data destruction process we utilize meets the standards of the NIST 800-88 and DoD, which should be a requirement for your company. Our team makes sure nothing remains on the tapes so no data can be compromised. Completed in our secure facility, the erasure, testing, and recertification process is extensive. After being inspected for any damage the tapes are scanned and evaluated. They are put through a process of erasure and recertification that includes media write and read tests. Each tapes must meet or exceed new tape performance criteria. Any tapes that fail after erasure are recycled with a R2 certified electronic recycler. Tapes are then re-formatted and will act as new/blank tapes. A data destruction certificate is then issued to confirm the erasure has been completed.
You may be using tape but plan to upgrade to a new generation, have used but are changing your storage platform, or plan on decommissioning your data center altogether. No matter the situation, if you need help with tape recycling NSA Inc. can assist. We can provide you with a safe solution for your tapes. Most tapes can be included in our buyback program in which we will pay you to recycle with us rather than charge for the data destruction. Contact us today for more information on our services and the tapes that we can pay you for.

When the time comes to pull tapes from your library that are no longer needed for storage, finding a safe disposal solution can be a daunting task. The main concerns are making sure any information on the tapes is removed and then the expense involved with such a project. Both are legitimate worries that if not carefully addressed can cost a company even more than anticipated. In addition to the cost of the removal of tapes, a possible data breech could occur resulting in a catastrophic cost. It is necessary to carefully choose the best option from a security and financial standpoint.

The data destruction required is best to take place in a secure facility capable of specifically handling tapes. The process should be NIST 800-88 and DoD compliant and a certificate authenticating the destruction should be issued as soon as the procedure is complete. You should be able to have the destruction done on a few tapes and test them yourselves to confirm no data can be recovered once it is eliminated.

The charges for data destruction and recycling can vary but can often be avoided altogether. Since tapes have a life of 30+ years, most cartridges still have value once they are wiped. Using a tape company that focuses on data destruction and recertification specific to tapes can help you earn money rather than spend it. Tape buybacks can be profitable way to solve your removal issue for redundant media. Once you have confidence in the data destruction, getting paid for the used tapes is a win-win situation for any IT department.

When most people think of IT Asset Recovery and Electronic Recycling in data centers they automatically think of servers, tape drives, and tape libraries as being what would carry any value. An often overlooked item are the data tapes themselves.

Only 13% of what is categorized as e-waste is properly recycled. That number is astounding when you consider e-waste represents 70% of all toxic waste. It is important to be mindful of what you do with your electronics when you are done with them. Items like data tapes that have a life of about 30 years can be recertified and recycled, keeping them and hazardous materials out of landfills.

When most people think of disposing of end of life media, security is at the forefront of their minds. Preventing data breeches is of the utmost importance for companies which raises concerns when considering recycling. In 2016 already 155 data breeches have been reported. That number is up 4.7% from last year. The risk and fines that could be associated with compromised data can be costly not only financially to a company but also to their reputation. Making sure any information on media and drives is secure is crucial. Many companies that will send drives to be wiped and recertified don’t realize the same can be done with tapes. Through a data wiping process done through overwriting that is NIST 800-88 and DoD compliant, the data can be eradicated. Data recovery specialists are unable to retrieve data once the process is complete. The tapes are then able to be recertified and the original owner can have peace of mind their data is safe and they recycled their media responsibly.

When your company is going through a change of equipment, decommissioning a data center, or being upgraded, end of life media has value and should not be overlooked. The money normally spent on data destruction and recycling should be put back in your budget.