A tape library is a storage device found in the computer storage department. It contains one or more tape devices along with a number of slots in which it can hold tape cartridges and a barcode reader. The purpose of the barcode reader is to identify the tape cartridges. It also has an automated procedure for loading tapes.
Tape libraries as the name suggests can hold a huge amount of data. The storage capacity of these devises ranges from 10 terabytes to more than 50 perabytes of data. To look at it in another way it can store up to a hundred times more than what a typical hard drive has the capability to store even with attached network storage.
You will be able to get a typical entry level solution for around ten thousand dollars. The high end ones can go up to seventy thousand dollars. They are however a cost effective solution for large data storage. This is because they bring the cost per gigabyte down to 10 cents USD which is measured to be 60% less than an average hard drive. Another benefit of these devices is the systematic entry to extremely large quantities of data that they provide.
There is a downside to these devices with massive storage space and that comes in the form of slower access time. This also involves mechanical manipulation of tapes. Accessing the data stored in the libraries takes several minutes.
You will find that tape libraries are generally used for the final stages of digital archiving and for backups. This is due to their slow random access coupled with the huge capacity that they have. A typical example of the above mentioned usage of tape libraries is the long term extensive transaction records of an organization for auditing and legal purposes. Tape library is also used to hold those files which are rarely used. Autoloaders are smaller tape libraries that contain only one drive and robot.
Special library management packages have been developed for the purpose of being able to manage the huge amounts of data in the libraries. These are commercially sold to the public. Bacula, Amanda and minimal mtx program are examples of open source support. Tape libraries also come embedded with a barcode scanner. This gives the device the ability to locate a tape even it has been placed in the incorrect slot. You will be able to find reprinted labels in the market and they can also be generated using special software.
Over the years many new manufacturers have stepped up into the market. Today there is intense competition in the manufacturing of tape libraries. Some of the most prominent names involved in the manufacturing of tape libraries are BDT AG, Tandberg Data, Quantum, Overland Storage and Sun Microsystems.
You can get detailed information on the different brands of the product though the internet. You may even compare their features and prices and go for the one that best meets your needs.
