LTO Tape: The Cornerstone of Digital Preservation
The world is producing huge volumes of digital content, and the rate at which new content is being produced is only accelerating. As compared to 2020, the Media and Entertainment industry alone will likely require around 120 exabytes of new digital storage capacity by 2025.[1] In this environment, ensuring the long-term preservation of our collective digital heritage has become increasingly critical, and Linear Tape-Open (LTO) tape plays a crucial role to that end.
This post examines LTO tape's technical features, best practices for its use, and why it remains a cornerstone of digital preservation strategies.
What Is LTO Tape?
Linear Tape-Open (LTO) is a magnetic tape storage technology designed for reliable and high-capacity data storage. It was initially introduced to market in 2000 as a consortial effort between IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Seagate to develop a magnetic tape medium based on an open standard. LTO has since evolved through several generations, each offering increasing capacity and performance. The most recent version, LTO-9, supports up to 18TB of native storage (or 45TB compressed) on a single tape cartridge.
LTO tape’s combination of large capacity, long shelf life (30+ years under proper storage conditions), and low cost per terabyte makes it ideal for preserving large quantities of digital material. Hence, it is widely used in production workflows within the Media and Entertainment industry.
Why Use LTO Tape for Audio-Visual Preservation?
From an archival perspective, audio-visual media files present unique challenges:
- Large File Sizes: Uncompressed video and audio streams can quickly balloon to terabytes of data.
- Long-Term Accessibility: Digital content produced today needs to still be playable 50 years from now.
- Data Integrity: Bit rot or data corruption can lead to loss of priceless cultural heritage.
Key Advantages of LTO Tape:
- Capacity and Scalability: LTO can handle the enormous data requirements of audio-visual media.
- Data Integrity: LTO employs built-in error correction and supports **Linear Tape File System (LTFS)**, which makes files accessible without proprietary software.
- Longevity: With a shelf life of over 30 years, LTO is well-suited for long-term preservation.
- Cost Efficiency: Compared to hard drives and cloud storage, the cost per terabyte of LTO is significantly lower.
- Energy Efficiency: LTO requires far less power than hard drives, leading to a lower carbon footprint per unit of storage capacity.
Best Practices for LTO in Media Preservation
What follows are best-practices for using LTO as part of a digital preservation strategy:
1. Use LTFS for Simplicity and Transparency
The *Linear Tape File System (LTFS)* allows tapes to appear like an external hard drive on your computer. This makes accessing files on LTO media straightforward and ensures compatibility with future systems.
2. Regularly Check Data Integrity
Periodic checksum validation ensures that the data stored on tape remains unchanged. Tools like BagIt can help automate these checks.
3. Maintain Proper Environmental Conditions
Store LTO tapes in a cool, dry, and stable environment to prevent degradation. Avoid magnetic interference and physical damage.
4. Follow a Redundant Storage Strategy
Pair LTO storage with geographically distributed backups or cloud redundancy to protect against localized disasters.
Digital Bedrock: A Leader in the Field
Digital Bedrock offers managed digital preservation solutions to clients in any field, with deep expertise in Media and Entertainment. Digital Bedrock utilizes LTO to provide a cost-effective, secure, off-cloud, and low-carbon storage option. If you have a large collection of digital content you need preserved, get in touch with Digital Bedrock!
Conclusion
For audio-visual preservation, where file sizes are massive and data integrity is paramount, LTO tape remains a gold standard. Its blend of high capacity, long shelf life, and affordability makes it an invaluable tool for archivists and preservation professionals.
As digital preservation challenges grow, LTO continues to evolve, offering increasingly sophisticated solutions. Whether you’re safeguarding film archives, oral histories, or multimedia art, LTO tape provides the backbone for preserving our collective memory.
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