Keeping Tabs on Tape

March 6, 2007: In an industry first, Imation has announced that it is using RFID tracking technology to keep tabs on removable data storage media.

Imation says that its DataGuard rf Tape Tracking System is a first-of-its-kind data storage tracking system that helps data centre managers reliably track the location of data cartridges within their inventory.

The system will no doubt be welcomed with open arms in a time of rising anxiety from data security breeches. Using specially designed RFID labels on each tape cartridge, Imation says that administrators will be able to "check in" and "check out" each cartridge with ease as it is used. Cartridges can then be tracked and monitored via software such as B&L Associates' VaultLedger or Vertices software.

"The essential role of tape in the data centre hasn't changed, but what has changed is the increasing pressure on data centre managers, for reasons of compliance and governance, to be able to locate and retrieve data quickly," said James Milligan, general manager of Imation’s Commercial/OEM Division. "Today's more stringent information security and financial compliance laws, as well as audit requirements, are driving organisations to examine their processes for managing these assets."

And management is exactly what RFID is about. Imation says that additional functionality such as AGPS (assisted global positioning system) is also on the cards for a future release, giving organisations the ability to track the location of tape cases with cellular and GPS technology. This translates to less loss of IP and less damage to the company’s disaster recovery ability, not to mention a decrease of any potential security risks.

"On average, an organisation backs up multiple terabytes of data to tape every week, if not every day," said Dianne McAdam, director of enterprise information assurance for The Clipper Group. "Disaster recovery preparedness and compliance remain high priorities for IT, making the ability to track a tape cartridges' whereabouts even more important to data centre managers."

The DataGuard rf tape tracking system will be generally available in April 2007.

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