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RDX as a Replacement for Optical Disks
Optical disk storage is becoming obsolete.
Historically, optical has had a place at the data storage table because it
was the format that met the regulatory requirements of immutability and
longevity. Certain documents needed to be stored in WORM data formats and be
viable for decades. Optical has provided this data archive capability in the
document imaging space for years and its cartridge form-factor enabled it to be
carried off-site easily, providing a solution for DR as well. But things have
changed.
Problem
Optical has never enjoyed the data density that magnetic storage does, so in
order to keep increasing media capacity, new formats were continually developed.
This required a migration of data from the old to the new format, or keeping the
old technology drives to play legacy media. But migration was expensive, both in
upfront costs and disruption and keeping old hardware around was also
problematic, especially when it wasn’t being manufactured anymore.
WORM can now also be done in software by technologies like Content
Addressable Storage (CAS) which uses traditional disk arrays and off-site
replication to replace physically shipping media to a DR site. But for the users
who developed processes around optical disk cartridges, the pure ‘online’ aspect
of CAS disk storage and replication can be a significant change in workflow. For
many, physically handling storage media is just simpler and more flexible. Also,
these newer technologies can involve large investments that are hard to justify
by much of the optical disk user base. For many, RDX could be the answer.
Solution
RDX is WORM and encryption capable, satisfying the regulatory requirements
that drove users to optical disks for years. But it does much more. As a hard
disk technology, RDX enjoys the data density that optical users could only dream
about. At over a TB per drive, companies often need only a few pieces of media
to hold all their data - greatly simplifying storage, handling and off-site
transfer. Scaling to meet data growth is also easier. And since the drive
upgrades occur inside the cartridge, the interface to the RDX dock remains
constant as capacities increase, so users won’t face the format changes or data
migration issues they did with optical disk drives.
Use cases for optical in document imaging applications typically involve small
to medium sized enterprises and RDX as a removable cartridge media format fits
the workflows that these companies have established. This workflow process
includes the flexibility to direct attach storage devices to PCs or servers in
distributed locations, storing media locally on shelves and often sending media
off-site for DR in a briefcase or in Iron Mountain’s truck. As a ‘plug
replacement’ for their existing optical drive or library, RDX enables an easy
switch from this obsolescent format. While they are alternatives for providing
data archive, DR and immutability, Content Addressed Storage and replication
devices can do the job, but at a much higher acquisition cost and a significant
integration effort. As network attached storage, RDX libraries can
provide a disk target for backup applications as well as an archive for document
imaging. This means the same device can be used to replace the optical disk
storing documents and the tape library storing backups. In addition to being the
logical successor to optical disk storage, RDX can can consolidate the
infrastructure, improve the performance of both backup and archive operations
and save money in the process.
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