Backing up to tape is funny - FUNNY HOW?

Funny like a clown? Funny ha-ha? Like tape amuses Sergeant Storage? Not exactly. Backing up to tape is funny like the guy who still has his 8 track tape collection, waiting for the (not so) inevitable day they come back in vogue. Funny like the guy who complains about what he brings for lunch everyday, even though he makes his own lunch.

In the words of the immortal Colonel Nathan R. Jessep: "No it isn't (funny). It's tragic."

But the Sarge isn't picking on tape. Much like football helmets without faceguards, they were the best that was to be had for a while. Unfortunately, that "while" was about 30 years ago. If there was a contest to pick the most volatile, fragile, slow and un-Sarge like media, tape wins hands down.

But the Sarge knows what you're thinking: "The cost of tape is less than disk! It will always be cheaper!" Yes, the battle-cry of tape lovers everywhere.

Guess what? Suits are cheaper at Walmart (although Sarge shops exclusively at the Army Surplus Store), but who buys a suit at Walmart? In some storage envionments, with certain tape based backup software, tape is cheaper.

Or, you can look a bit beyond 40 year old technology to realize the path to greater reliability, speed, security, scalability, and even COST SAVINGS!

Certain smart people know how to do this - it's not that hard.

At ease.