Qualstar, a manufacturer of data storage solutions, has released its latest line of LTO tape libraries. This comes at a time in which organizations are increasingly turning to LTO technologies for longterm storage and regular backups.

The new Qualstar library is the Q24, which offers a smaller operator console and screen than the company’s previous versions. It also offers a Web-based remote library manager that allows for admins to configure, monitor, and upgrade any library over an intranet or the Internet.

It is expected that small and midsize organizations will adopt the Q24. While the Q24 is compact, it is quite powerful and allows for easy scaling and upgrading from LTO-5 to LTO-6.

Other key features of the Qualstar Q24 include:

- 24 cartridge slots
- 12-slot magazines
- An I/O port
- One full-height or two half-height LTO-5 or LTO-6 tape drives
- Up to 150 terabytes with LTO-6 compression at 2:5:1
- 2U height x 19-inch rack mount
- Barcode comes standard. This streamlines the inventory process.

Why Consider LTO Tape?

There are numerous reasons organizations should consider LTO tape. First and foremost, it is economical. Disk-only data storage infrastructures are must more expensive.

Secondly, tape is the eco-friendly way to go. Tape can be recycled and reused. This is very important as e-waste (much of which could be reused) is thrown into landfills and/or incinerated.

Thirdly, LTO-tape is getting more powerful and is expected to become even more so in the coming years. Thanks to LTFS and the massive amounts of data each tape can store, gobs of data can be quickly stored and easily retrieved after the fact.

Finally, tape is extremely stable. It has a shelf life of 30-plus years. You can be sure you data will be safe from harm and danger at all times with LTO-tape.

How to Get Started with Tape

Have questions about LTO tape libraries? We can help steer you in the right direction. Please contact us via e-mail or phone.

Info@BigDataSupplyInc.com | Toll Free 800-905-7329 | Local 949-679-6633

There’s a lot of misinformation about there about tape and disk storage. For years now, the “experts” have maintained that tape would be dead as a doornail by now. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

First and foremost, it’s important to know exactly what you’re asking when you question disk and tape. There are all sorts of functions that take place when data is being preserved. For instance, there are backups and then there is data restoration.

In the case of a disk backup or data replication, data is send over distance using a WAN. The data is then taken to an offsite storage facility. In this case, you may wonder if this is faster than a tape backup and offsite storage.

The answer depends on a handful of factors, including the amount of data that must be moved across the WAN, the distance that it must be moved, and the overall efficiency of the WAN. It is all too often reported that the speed of a WAN is often quite slow.

If a WAN is slow and inefficient, LTO-6 tape and other leading tape backup options are the way to go. It is possible to transfer massive amounts of data in a very short timespan. Plus, when it comes to stability over time, tape has a very long shelf life.

Another thing to consider when analyzing the efficiency/performance of disk and tape is file structure. It use to be that disk ran circles around tape when users tried to access a particular piece of data or file. Now LTO tape has LTFS (Linear Tape File System), which allows for data to be retrieved much faster than it used to be.

Also, it should be mentioned that the streaming rate of tape is much faster than disk. Thus, when for long block files (such as videos) once the very first byte of a requested file is found, the transfer of the entire file is significantly faster.

As tape continues to evolve, it will be quite interesting to see how its role within the data storage system evolves.

We predict that tape will continue to grow in importance, especially as data storage systems continue to grow exponentially for organizations of all shapes and sizes.

Have any questions surrounding the above info? We’d love to answer them. Please drop us and e-mail or give us a call, and we’ll help steer you in the best possible direction.

Info@BigDataSupplyInc.com | Toll Free 800-905-7329 | Local 949-679-6633

Is your organization seeing massive increases in data creation, while being challenged to meet specific data compliance rules? Regardless if you must adhere to the regulations of HIPAA, FACTA, Sarbanes-Oxley, SOX, or any others, it can be a major challenge to build up the right infrastructure, policies and procedures to comply.

As revealed by major organizations such as Yahoo, Google, and Facebook, anything can go wrong -- at any time. There can be anything from security breaches, to bugs, to system failures. This is why a reported 80 percent of organizations make use of a combination of disk and tape.

Just when many “experts” in the data storage industry were raving about disk and/or the cloud being the end-all-be-all -- LTO magnetic data media has come to the rescue.

Here’s why:

1. LTO tape is stable and can be stored for 30-plus years.
2. The latest versions of LTO hold massive amounts of data -- so it’s very cost-effective.
3. ZERO energy cost to archive data offline.
4. Disk’s online nature makes susceptible to hackers, bugs, viruses, and more.
5. When disk comes crashing down, LTO backups save the day.
6. Tape can be recycled and reused.

Using magnetic data media along side disk, is a perfect scenario. Data that needs to be constantly and quickly accessed can be stored on disk. LTO data media can be used for continuous backups. Thus, if anything goes wrong, data can be recovered in a timely manner.

When considering data compliance, tape provides 100 percent assurance that an organizations most important data is always secure. The fact that data can completely be expunged via degaussing, also makes tape valuable where compliance is concerned.

Have questions about industry compliance and your data storage setup? We would love to help. Give us a call and we can help point you in the right direction.

Have tape and data center equipment that you want to get rid of? We buy used tape cartridges, disk array, tape libraries, and more.

Contact us today: Info@BigDataSupplyInc.com | Toll Free 800-905-7329 | Local 949-679-6633

Send Us Your Old Gear... We Send You CASH!

Send Us Your Old Gear... We Send You CASH!

It’s a common story -- years go by and inevitably you find yourself staring into a sea of used tape cartridges that will never be looked at again, and you don’t quite know what to do when them. You consider throwing them into the dumpster or hauling them off to a dump.

These two options aren't the best for a number of reasons. Of course, there’s the chance that the data you've stored over the years could be fished out of a dumpster by your competitors or a crook looking for valuable data to steal.

Secondly, dumps and landfills are already filled with massive amounts of toxic e-waste that isn't doing the earth or our future generations any favors.

And thirdly, you may be missing out on a handful of cash by not recycling your LTO-2, LTO-3, LTO-4, LTO-5, LTO-6, 3592, and other tape formats.

At Big Data Supply, we are working with organizations of all sizes and individuals to let the world know that most used tape and numerous other technologies are perfectly good and should be recycled. Unfortunately, only a very small percentage (about 3%) of tape cartridges and related technologies are recycled.

This is why we buy tape, disk array, tape libraries, and a multitude of other technologies for top dollar.

Here’s how it works:

1. Drop us an e-mail or call us and provide our recycling team a list of technologies you want to sell.
2. We’ll make you an offer.
3. You sign-off on our purchase, and we’ll arrange for shipment.
4. Once we receive your recycled goods, we’ll make sure they work and send you a check for all items in good shape.
5. All tape cartridges will be degaussed and the data completely erased. (Certificate of Data Destruction Provided Upon Request)

Once your goods are recycled/refurbished, we then make it available for our clients.

By selling used tape and other data center technologies, we then help growing and thriving organizations keep their costs down. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

Want to sell tape or other technologies as soon as possible? Give us a call or send us an email, and we’ll get started!

Whatever you do, think twice before throwing perfectly good technologies into landfills. We can all work together to make a difference!

Info@BigDataSupplyInc.com | Toll Free 800-905-7329 | Local 949-679-6633

As you develop and maintain your data storage environment, there are a handful of steps that we recommend every organization take:

1. Get and Stay Organized

We see it time and time again -- organizations fail to carefully develop organization strategies and structures so that data can be easily retrieved. It is quite common (and definitely not recommended) that there is no rhyme or reason to the technologies that are being used and the way tapes, disks, disk drives, etc. are kept.

Take time to carefully plan how you will store data, what types of technologies will be used throughout the entire organization, how you will catalog tapes and disks, and what the protocol will be for the use and distribution of all data storage mediums.

2. Schedule Regular Backups

Make sure you have a plan of action where data backups are concerned. We recommend using LTO tape for archiving large amounts of data stored on disk. Tape is very stable, energy saving and can be stored for 30 years and more. Plus, because it is stored offline, it isn't susceptible to hacking or viruses that could wreak major havoc.

3. Don’t Take Risks

Never take any risks whatsoever with your data. Continually monitor your data storage setup and make necessary changes in structure, methodology, or policy if you feel your data is at risk. We've seen organizations learn this lesson the hard way and always recommend outlining each and everything that could possibly go wrong. It is then possible to outline steps for avoiding problems.

4. Get a Recycling Program in Place

When tapes, disk, and other technologies have reached their end, it is an excellent idea to consider recycling them all. We can help you in this department via our buyback program. Not only can you benefit financially by recycling data storage equipment, you can pave the way for a healthier environment.

5. Test Your Data Storage Solution

One of the best things you can do for your organization is to test current and future data storage environments. Never assume your proposed setup will work flawlessly. Constantly be on the lookout for ways to improve your setup.

Info@BigDataSupplyInc.com | Toll Free 800-905-7329 | Local 949-679-6633

We Buy New and Used Data Tape Media. LTO, 3592, AIT, QIC, ETC...

We Buy New and Used Data Tape Media. LTO, 3592, AIT, QIC, ETC...

Happy 2014! At Big Data Supply, we are amazed that the New Year has arrived so quickly. As the year unfolds, we will bring you all sorts of interesting facts, ideas, and stories surrounding data tape media.

To begin, we would like to share the importance of e-waste recycling. With only 3 percent of tape cartridges being recycled throughout the U.S., it is vital that organizations begin paying attention and taking action.

By choosing to recycle in 2014, your organization can:

• Keep perfectly good data hardware out of landfills.
• Greatly reduce the amounts of toxic gases from being released into the air. via incineration.
• Provide growing organizations the opportunity to purchase recycled goods and save money.
• Gain positive public relations for caring for the environment.
• Pave the way for a better future for today and tomorrow’s youth.

Plus, you can gain instant cash for selling new or used data tape media and other hardware. In fact, Big Data Supply pays top dollar for all tape cartridge formats including (but not limited to):

IBM 3592 JA, 300GB, 18P7534, 18P9271, 18P9263
IBM 3592 JB, 700GB, 23R9830, 23R9815, 23R9811
IBM 3592 JC, 4TB, 46X7452, 46X7452L, 46X7452LI
LTO-3, 400/800GB - All Brands
LTO-4, 800/1600GB - All Brands
LTO-5, 1.5/3TB - All Brands
LTO-6, 2.5/6.25TB - All Brands
8mm VXA X23, V23, X17, X10, X6, Exabyte or IBM
8mm VXA Cleaning Exabyte, IBM - New
SLR-5, 4/8GB - All Brands
MLR-1, 13/26GB, 16/32GB - All Brands
MLR / SLR Cleaning - All Brands New
4mm 170m DDS-5, DAT72 - all brands

We also pay top dollar for used disk array, tape libraries, peripherals, telecom equipment, and more.

Companies of all shapes and sizes rely on our team to make sure that all data is completely eradicated from tapes, helping them comply with regulations as set forth by SOX, Sarbanes-Oxley, SOX, and HIPAA.

We’ll make sure you are always 100% compliant with all regulations, while providing you instant cash for all of your new and used equipment.

In today’s world, there is no reason that organizations shouldn't take advantage of e-waste recycling programs. It’s a win-win for all parties involved.

Have questions or want to get started as soon as possible? Call or e-mail our recycling team and we can get started!

Info@BigDataSupplyInc.com | Toll Free 800-905-7329 | Local 949-679-6633

“Declines in the sales of tape media are decreasing and the death of tape has been postponed - indefinitely,” writes Chris Mellor of The Register.

According to recent numbers published by the Santa Clara Consulting Group, in the third quarter of 2013, cartridge sales hit $141.73 million. LTO accounted for a whopping 95 percent of revenue.

When looking at the LTO media type breakdown per version, they are as follows:

- LTO-4 - 38 percent of all units sold
- LTO-5 - 37 percent of all units sold
- LTO-3 - 13 percent of all units sold
- LTO-6 - 8 percent of all units sold
- LTO-1 and LTO-2 - 3 percent of all units sold

The brand breakdown (in terms of popularity) has HP with 31 percent of the market share, followed by Fuji and then IBM.

Trailing behind LTO tape cartridges, the second most popular technology is DDS/DAT at $4.9 million. DLS, DLT-V, AIT, and QIC sales were on the low end of the spectrum.

The following chart shows that magnetic data media sales did drop from 2008, but in Q3 of 2013 sales have leveled off. Mellor suggests that the number may rise gradually due to the use of archival tape used in the cloud and alongside disk. This spells good news for magnetic data media in the coming years.

Santa Clara Group Tape Media Sales

Declines in tape media sales are decreasing.

Want to learn more? We can answer all of your questions and help you save both time and money. Please either call our offices or drop us an e-mail.

We are currently purchasing new and used, all brands and formats. Yes, we buy used tape. Our data destruction processes exceed all standards for data destruction for DOD, GLBA, SOX, HIPAA, FACTA, ETC. Not only will you recoup some of your initial data storage costs, selling your data media for reuse is also the most environmentally conscious solution to ending the life of your tape media.

Don’t shred the tape, shred the data!

Contact Us: Support@BigDataSupplyInc.com | Toll Free 800-905-7329 | Local 714-647-9000

Big Data Supply, Inc. offers secure data destruction.

Big Data Supply, Inc. offers secure data destruction on tape media and hard drives.

In today’s world, data destruction is a very serious matter. With the numerous amounts of data that come the the form of client information, financial transactions, photos, videos, and other personal information, organizations and individuals are always at risk.

If you’ve been trying to discern how your going to manage data destruction policies and procedures, it’s important that you read further:

1. There are three methods for data destruction to consider including overwriting, degaussing, and physical destruction. Overwriting includes covering up old data with new data. Degaussing is the process of purging data by erasing the magnetic field of an LTO or other type of tape. And physical destruction consists of shredding or incinerating disk or tape.

2. Degaussing data tape media comes with multiple benefits. At Big Data Supply, one of our fortes is degaussing used tape and recycling it so that it can be used again. Not only do we think this is the environmentally friendly way to go about it, our clients earn cash when they sell used tape via our buyback program. (Please note not all tapes can be degaussed in the traditional manner, media with servo track will be damaged and be unusable if not processed through our proprietary degaussing equipment. Call or email for details.)

3. Failure to properly erase can be very costly. There are numerous organizations that find themselves in financial, legal, and regulatory trouble when they fail to develop strict data destruction policies and procedures. It isn’t at all uncommon for both disk and tape (full of data) to be thrown in dumpsters or stored out in the open. It’s vital that you fully understand the specifics surrounding industry regulations for data storage, disposal, and destruction and develop a system for assuring new and old data is always secure.

4. Data creation leads to massive amounts of e-waste. It’s quite easy to overlook all of the devices (disks, tape cartridges, tape libraries, etc.) that build up over time as data is created and stored. Don’t forget the role that you and/or your organization plays in creating e-waste. As mentioned above, by degaussing tape and recycling your data storage equipment, you have the power to keep perfectly good used technology out of landfills.

Our team would be more than happy to consult with you on options for strategically destroying your old data and recycling your used data storage technologies.

5. Data destruction doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The recycling movement has been slow to take off within the U.S. largely because people think the process takes too much time and effort. This is where the Big Data Supply team comes in. We’ll set up a plan to make the process very easy. For example, we’ll pay you for your used data storage equipment, arrange for shipment, and completely purge any and all data you’ve accumulated over time.

We Buy Used Tape, Recycle Your Media! Give us a call or e-mail us to get started and/or answer all of your questions surrounding data destruction!

Contact us today: Info@BigDataSupplyInc.com | Toll Free 800-905-7329 | Local 949-679-6633

Curious of all this LTO LTFS talk and want to see how LTO-5 and LTFS are being utilized by a real-world organization?
The following video is a case study presented by IBM. Learn how one of their customers in Athens, Greece has simplified their archival process and cut costs significantly:

We buyback LTO cartridges in new and used condition, if you would like a free value audit on what you have please send us a list of what you have.

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