Cloud vs Tape Throwdown: Which is Better for Archiving?

The Backup Wrap-Up

In this episode of The Backup Wrap-Up, we look at the cloud vs tape debate for active archives. The conversation was sparked by a LinkedIn post claiming tape libraries are the only robots not making things easier in 2025, suggesting cloud is superior to tape for active archives.

We challenge this premise by pointing out that cloud vs tape is a false dichotomy since many cloud storage vendors use tape for their lowest-cost tiers. We examine key considerations including cost (where tape wins by orders of magnitude), data integrity (where tape actually outperforms disk), and access times (where expectations should align with use cases). For organizations running on-premises infrastructure, we also highlight the often-overlooked egress costs and transfer times associated with cloud storage. Whether you're managing secondary storage or planning an archive strategy, this candid discussion cuts through the marketing hype.

Here's the LinkedIn post that sparked the discussion:

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7300167312144322561/

Here's a recent episode about how tape is not dead:

https://www.backupwrapup.com/is-tape-backup-dead-why-it-still-matters/