A Virtual Tape Library (VTL) is a backup solution that combines tape backup emulation software with hard drive architecture for faster, more flexible, and cost-effective backup. It offers all the convenience of tape methodology with the speed and reliability of hard drives, and can store up to a terabyte of data or more. It can be part of a redundant backup strategy, and cartridges can be stored off-premises for maximum safety. True D2D is an alternative to VTL that uses external redundant disks as mobile secondary backup storage.
A virtual tape library (VTL) combines tape backup emulation software with hard drive architecture to provide a superior archive backup solution. It’s faster, more flexible, more robust, and more cost-effective than tape backup. Because VTL uses disk-to-disk (D2D) backup, it is sometimes referred to as VTL D2D.
While tape drives were the preferred method of archive backup in the 1990s, magnetic tape support has its share of inherent drawbacks. Searching for cartridges, accessing information, and copying files can take several minutes, provided the backup drive and cartridge are functioning as expected. At the turn of the new millennium, hard drives have become affordable enough to make them a viable and welcome alternative to tape backup. Enter the Virtual Tape Library, a backup solution that offers all the convenience of tape methodology with the speed and reliability of hard drives. Accessing files using a VTL is instantaneous, and while hard drives have moving parts, they are much more reliable than magnetic tape.
A virtual tape library is convenient in other ways as well. Using disk arrays, you can potentially store up to a terabyte of data or more on some large-capacity hard drives that take up little more space than a laptop. By using RAID arrays that read the disks as one large drive, the data is in “one place” rather than scattered among the cartridges. Workstations configured with the appropriate credentials can access the VTL without expending additional employee resources to manage the backup unit and administer backup or restore services.
A virtual tape library uses tape emulation software for backup strategies. This makes it compatible for deployment into an existing tape backup facility. A virtual tape library can also be part of a redundant backup strategy that has hard drive backup as the primary source and tape backup as the secondary library. Cartridges can be stored in a secure location off the premises for maximum safety. In the event of fire or theft, the tape library will still be available to rebuild the system. Using this strategy, cartridges are also made available for transport to other offices or places where a network might not exist.
If your network does not currently use a tape library, you may be interested in using true D2D rather than a virtual tape library or D2D VTL. True D2D is not limited to tape-like emulation and can use external redundant disks as mobile secondary backup storage. D2D software is available for RAID and non-RAID disk arrays.
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