📀 Are your backups still readable? The hidden risks of tape storage 🎯

Backups are crucial for businesses, especially during audits, internal investigations or emergencies. But what if a tape backup turns out to be unreadable or damaged the moment you need it? 😱

With increasing laws and regulations, requirements for access to archived data are becoming more stringent. This means that companies must not only ensure backups, but also verify that they are still readable! ✅

ALTA-ICT | Certifications on the horizon: ISO 9001, ISO 27001 & NEN 7510

🔍 The risks of tape storage

Tape is a reliable and secure solution for long-term storage, but even the best systems have their vulnerabilities. Some common problems:

❌ Damaged files – Logical damage can cause data to become inaccessible.
🔥 Physical damage – Heat, moisture and abrasion can degrade tapes and render them unusable.
🦠 Ransomware or malware – Cyber attacks can also infect backups in the tape library.
🖥 O utdated software – Backups created in older systems may become unreadable due to incompatibility with new software.

🛠 What can you do?

Prevention is better than cure! So make sure you have a solid strategy for keeping your backups secure and accessible:

✅ Check tapes regularly – Test whether older backups are still accessible.
✅ Data recovery and migration – Consider migrating old tapes to modern storage formats.
✅ Protection against ransomware – Implement security measures to protect your backups as well.
✅ Professional support – Experts such as ALTA-ICT can help with recovery, indexing and migration of your tape archives.

🚀 Tape remains a strong choice – but be prepared!

Tape storage still offers a safe and reliable way to store data, if properly managed. Proactive maintenance and periodic checks prevent unpleasant surprises when you really need a backup.

Do you have doubts about the readability of your backups? Have your tapes checked on time and make sure your data always remains accessible! 🔄🔐

About the author

My name is Alta Martes, a specialist in Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, with a focus on modern workplace management, cloud security and identity & access management. With years of experience, I help organizations optimize their IT infrastructure and create a secure, efficient digital workplace.

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Tape-back-up concept met risico’s zoals schade, ransomware en veroudering, met een focus op dataherstel en beveiliging.

img[data-role="placeholder-img"] { display: none; } Tape-back-up concept met risico’s zoals schade, ransomware en veroudering, met een focus op dataherstel en beveiliging.

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