While things like punch cards were tried extensively, it was the invention of magnetic tape that truly brought the breakthrough in terms of performance and large-scale data storage.

Decades after the first tapes started to spin, tape technology remains the most relevant of all specially for storing large volumes of data. Of course, enthusiasts of disks may say that in terms of capacity and performance, they prove to be the best storage device. But in the era of green data centres and virtualisation, experts recommend a hybridised approach to deploying them, which means tapes would continue to remain an important option for solution providers.

“The concepts behind tape technology remain the same almost five decades after they first came into use,” says Jim Simon, Director-Marketing (APAC) for the storage solutions provider, Quantum. “With things like compliance requirement and the need for performance, tier storage architecture has gained credence in recent years and with this comes the concept of using the relevant storage device for each tier that would suit the purpose of storing data.”

The tier storage architecture classifies storage system into different tiers based on the frequency of access and the purpose of storing data. Certain data like e-mails or transaction details (in the case of banks) need to be accessed frequently, whereas other data such as those meant for complying with storage regulations can be saved in archives.

So, it has become a common practice to use disks, which offers higher performance with random access, for storing primary data while tapes are used for archiving. “This architecture has gained recognition among end-users, as they feel this would cut cost and improve efficiency,” says S K Lau, Quantum’s Product Marketing Manager.

Solution providers like Quantum have been attempting to complement the multi-tier approach to storage by using a different method of data compression, that allows users to handle storage of all kinds with ease. Simons explains that the new approach to data compression that Quantum is using in its devices is being worked out by mathematicians who have taken a block-level approach to storage.

“In traditional storage devices, you would get two-to-one space, which was adopted widely at a time when disks were costly. But the truly efficient compression technology has come from mathematicians who have developed algorithms to store data at its most essential level. This block-level approach allows data centres to save space between 20 to 50 per cent depending on their storage requirements.”

This method of compression, according to Quantum’s experts, also removes the complexities of sending data across the network. As a result, back-up can be done in a different place, where the same data can be archived in tapes.

“The biggest advantage of this, explains Simon, is the fact that your data is really safe. By allowing data to travel across the network to a different physical location, you virtually eliminate the possibility of losing the entire data, which is possible if you do back-up inside the data centre and someone happens to trigger a fire. Also, it is much easier to restore data in this method of storage.”

With falling disk prices, this approach along with multi-tier architecture has taken the best of storage technology   for enterprises to small and medium level organisations.