Since the cost comparison between tape and disk is obviously far more complex than the media itself, this brief outlines all the considerations necessary for a more complete understanding of the benefit and true cost comparison between tape and disk to help IT professionals choose and justify their backup environment.

When making a direct cost comparison of media, it is true that the cost-per-byte is cheaper for tape than it is for disk. For some IT professionals, that’s where they draw the line and make a decision. For them, the cost of media is the race, and tape is the winner. The problem, however, has to do with the fact that the race really isn’t about the cost of media; it’s the associated cost of several other factors: downtime, reliability, management, availability, data growth and the cost of the backup system itself. In other words, it’s about the big picture.