Our backup trio consisting of Archiware, ATTO, and Qualstar
Greater data resilience and cybersecurity through intelligent connectivity
The growing number of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents is forcing companies to reevaluate their backup strategies. Physically separate, offline data backups are becoming increasingly important again, as they cannot be accessed directly from the network in the event of an emergency.
LTO tape remains one of the few storage media that combines high capacity, long service life, and true air-gap capability. In conjunction with infrastructure components from ATTO and Archiware P5 data management software, tape can be used efficiently in both traditional server environments and distributed IT infrastructures.
The main advantage of this approach is centralization: media management, monitoring, and maintenance can be bundled in one place, and multiple systems can access the same tape infrastructure. At the same time, the security architecture remains intact, as the tapes can be physically removed and stored off-site after backup.
Furthermore, servers and LTO do not have to be located in the same room/fire compartment/building. And yet, users such as video editors still have physical access to a library directly at their workstation. In addition, NAS devices from Synology (solely due to the lack of a SAS option), QNAP, or TrueNAS can also use the LTO option even if there are no free slots on their bus. This also applies to P5 servers without a free slot, for example, to use Fibre Channel, SAS, or Thunderbolt. In general, the existing 10 GbE infrastructure (or better) is thus available for even more services/devices, and no additional FC or SAS expansion is necessary.
This direct connection can be particularly useful in production environments—such as media, research, or post-production—where large amounts of data need to be backed up in a short time frame. Here too, Archiware P5 takes over complete control of the backup and archiving processes, including scheduling, versioning, and recovery.
Tape as a strategic component of modern IT
The XstreamCORE variant in particular shows that tape does not have to be an isolated archiving medium, but can also be integrated into modern, distributed IT architectures – without losing its security-related properties. Tape thus remains not a relic of the past, but a deliberately used tool for resilient and controllable data backup.
Whether locally via HBA or centrally via XstreamCORE, Archiware P5 allows both approaches to be integrated into a consistent backup strategy. The decisive factor is not the medium itself, but the type of connection: direct for maximum performance, or network-based for scalability and central control.
New Thunderlink adapters - TLFC-5642 and TLNS-5102 - as the next generation in the high-speed sector from network specialist ATTO.
ATTO has designed an iSCSI-to-SAS bridge to operate individual tape drives - without a server - over long distances via Ethernet.
Backup and archive differ fundamentally in terms of the data to be backed up, the timing and the installation required.
