What’s the difference between a data backup and archived data?
For those new to the data hoarding world, they may not see a clear distinction between the different data storage methods currently used. The two main methods of storing data are data backup and data archive. Actually, there’s a huge difference between the both of them as well.
For those that are oblivious of the difference between the two, they may potentially be wasting costly office space and money. Not to mention putting their data at risk.
What is a data backup?
Data backupis defined as a copy of the initial data that is used to replace the original in the event it is lost, stolen, or destroyed. Many users may view data backup as a safety net among other things.
A great example of data backup technology is disk storage and LTO technology. Both forms of data storage are used as backup platforms to store a previous copy of a dataset that can replace unusable or unavailable originals.
What is archived data?
Archived data differs consists of a collection of chronological data that is seldomly retrieved. However, a data archive usually contains important data that is intended to be kept long-term for various reasons including reference and analytical applications. Archived data can also be used to free up primary disk storage space from data that is no longer actively used but must be retained.
An organization’s data backup is a copy of the original data, while its data archive is the original that was removed from its original location and stored at another site for long-term custody.
There have been a number of instances where organizations try to design their backup software to satisfy both backup and archive roles. The downside to this approach is that it can be very time consuming trying to locate a single file needed for long-term archiving from an entire backup server.
Keeping a complete backup job is not a very cost-effective way to use data storage, as backups only copy the data, leaving the original file in its place. Realistically, it wouldn’t free up any space at all.
The act of backing up data is just another way of making a copy of your already existing data, essentially using up more storage space. When the original data is moved to the data archive, storage space is increased; allowing data management to become much more efficient.
A key difference maker between data archiving software and data backup software is the labeling and search capabilities of an accessible archive. Metadata related to archived objects is stored in a database and can be searched based on user-supplied criteria.
Enhancing both data backups and archived data with LTO technology
Backups and archives stored on LTO tape provide the industry’s most cost-effective, high-performance and high capacity data storage. Information stored on tape is largely offline, adding a layer of protection against ransomware and cyber-attacks. This layer of protection is known as an “airgap”. By utilizing an airgap in a data storage strategy, tapes can easily copied and used for offsite storage, providing a supplementary layer of protection against unforeseen disasters and cyber-attacks.
Additional benefits of using LTO tape for archiving data are:
- Archives on LTO tape can be stored for up to 30 years or more.
- LTO tape supports Linear Tape File System (LTFS) for native, fast access.
- Encryption and WORM support are provided with LTO technology, increasing an already high-secure storage solution.
