For years, tape drives have been the de facto choice for completely backing up a computer system. Ranging from less than a cent to five cents per megabyte, tape drives still provide the cheapest high-capacity backup storage solution available.
Data recovery is slow.
Tape is not a random-access media, meaning that instead of pinpointing the data you want to access instantly, you have to wind through the tape to locate it. However, tapes' low cost and high storage capacities have made them a top choice for many firms' backup strategies. DAT drives are especially well suited for small businesses that need to back up numerous small files. Using a 4 mm tape originally designed for digital audio players, DAT drives can handle 1 to 4 GB per cartridge. Most tape drives come equipped with software that allows unattended backups of a single computer or a small network.