Securely erase your tapes
Erasing tapes is a real chore, we all know it. It is much easier to just sell or dispose of the tapes, but is it worth the risk? Many companies are now offering buy back schemes which is great, and some of these companies we have worked with and know and trust. But this can also be a grey area as well because your trusting them to do what they say. Erasing tapes properly, is a slow process and a very easy step to skip without anyone noticing. So why not erase the tapes yourself? Tools’4’Tape makes this an easy process!
With a simple interface, low cost, and based on the Tools’4’Tape foundation software you can easily and securely erase tapes as needed. There is a choice of different erase methods all with pro’s and cons, from a simple single pass to triple pass with random data to make recovery impossible
How long does it take? Well it depends on the tape technology you are using and the method you use. But anything from 30mins to 2 hours per tape. Remember though this can run without any interaction!
Automate the process In conjunction with Library automation plugin you can erase entire batches of tapes on multiple drives in an easy to use and controlled environment. Start the task and leave it over night/over the weekend to work. If you have the tapes then you already have the equipment, so why not use it!
So why not just use a bulk eraser? Bulk erasers are a great and quick means to destroy data on a tape. The downside with using a bulk eraser is that any technologies with servo tracks (most modern media) are then rendered unusable. This then means that the media has no value and must be disposed of correctly.