Tape, cloud or disk?
Each storage tier has a job. Disk is fastest for recent backups and instant restores; cloud is convenient for off-site copies and distributed access; LTO tape is unbeatable for large volumes of long-retention data, cost and offline security. The best strategies combine them.
| LTO tape | Cloud storage | Disk / NAS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per TB (long term) | Lowest | Ongoing monthly fees, plus egress/retrieval on some providers | Highest (hardware, power, refresh) |
| Ransomware protection | True offline air gap + WORM | Immutability options; always online | Online; vulnerable unless hardened |
| Media lifespan | Up to 30 years | Provider-managed | Typically 3–5 years |
| Power at rest | Zero | Provider’s data centre | Continuous |
| Restore speed | Fast streaming (400 MB/s+ per drive); seconds–minutes to first byte | Limited by bandwidth | Fastest random access |
| Best for | Archives, long-term backup, offline copies | Off-site copies, distributed access | Recent backups, instant recovery |
Should I use tape in a modern backup strategy?
Yes — if you keep more than a few tens of terabytes for months or years, or you need an offline copy for ransomware resilience. A common design is disk for the first 14–30 days of fast restores, with copies to LTO tape for long-term retention and off-site rotation, and optional cloud for a further geographic copy. Fortuna Data also runs Saved to Cloud, UK S3-compatible object storage with no egress fees, if you want both.
LTO knowledge base
LTO roadmap
Capacities from LTO-1 to LTO-14 and what's next after LTO-10.
Read more →LTO vs cloud vs disk
Cost, security and performance compared for backup and archive.
Read more →Air-gapped ransomware protection
How tape gives you an offline, immutable copy.
Read more →What is LTFS?
Use LTO tape like a disk with the Linear Tape File System.
Read more →LTO FAQ
Compatibility, capacities, storage conditions and more.
Read more →LTO tape storage guide
Drives, autoloaders, libraries and how to store tapes.
Read more →Need LTO tapes or a tape library quote?
Tell us what you need and an LTO specialist will come back the same working day. Or call us on 01256 331614.