Back in 2010 when LTO6 was introduced to the market (wow time flies) some had remarked they were in favor of transfer rates not increasing at such a rapid rate like they did with generations before LTO6. Others mention that the LTO tape transfer rate increases in the new road map are in direct correlation to higher densities on the tape itself.

Another added that although disk storage is where most IT organizations currently base their data protection efforts, the continuation of the LTO roadmap should stimulate confidence among users of tape media and for the future of tape technology.

The roadmap adds certainty as much as capacity, which is essential to people investing in long-term data storage and retention.

It goes without saying that tape media in general has uses even outside long-term data storage, data mobility, and data recovery. As the longevity of the LTO roadmap continues and tape’s new uses gain recognition, backup storage vendors and storage management retailers will need to take notice that modern tape could be the answer to additional tiers of storage beyond what disk can offer.