For these sites DAT is more than adequate and yet costs only a fraction of a DLT or 8mm solutions. Later this year, Quantum will introduce SuperDLT while HP, IBM and Seagate will introduce Ultrium tapes, both with capacities and speeds surpassing current standards. Although exact specifications are not available, the expected capacity and speed enhancements will let the new tape media easily handle the large data volumes and multimedia file sizes now commonly downloaded from the Internet. This new media will also let Internet content, service providers and commercial Web sites more efficiently archive and back up growing volumes of customer and corporate files. Optical media maintains stored data for long periods of time, degradation free.
All optical devices are economical, rugged and stable.
They are nearly indestructible. It is a non-contact media, eliminating the possibility of head crashes, and data will not be erased by accidental contact with a magnetic field. CD-ROM is universally accepted with readability across all major computer platforms. CD-R media meet government regulatory agency and financial industry requirements for audit trail electronic storage of downloaded and uploaded files. CD-RW optical is employed for back up and archiving when the stored files are kept near online for a period of time, then erased and the media reused.