Data Tapes

A data tape or data cartridge is a spool of magnetic tape used in tape library units for digital data storage and archiving. The data tape is inserted into a tape driver within a tape library unit for sequential access storage. Sequential access means the data is stored and read in a fixed order therefore the data tape needs to be wound between reels to locate a piece of information. Disk drives have direct access enabling them to go quickly to any position on the disk. Sequential access means it does take longer to access the data from the data tape, however, the data can be streamed very quickly once it is located. Data tapes are an ideal solution for long-term archiving and are a cost-effective alternative to hard drives and solid-state drives.