Magnetic Tape Drives Explained: Why Are They Still Relevant?

Magnetic tape drives have been around for decades, but they remain an excellent choice for large-scale data storage. So, how exactly do they work? These drives use reels of magnetic tape, which are coated with a magnetic material. As the tape moves across read/write heads, data is stored by aligning tiny magnetic particles in specific patterns that represent binary data.

Because of their high storage capacity and durability, magnetic tape drives are commonly used for long-term data archiving. Though they have slower data retrieval speeds compared to hard drives, their low cost per terabyte makes them a go-to solution for organizations needing extensive data backup.

Anyone here still using tape drives for backup? Share your experiences and tips for optimizing tape storage!