Legacy Data Access

Backup Migration
& Tape-to-Cloud

Modernize your backup system without the headaches. Move forward without leaving your history behind.

Break free from legacy backup systems

Are you ready to upgrade to a modern backup solution, but worried about preserving your historical data? S2|DATA’s backup migration and tape-to-cloud services let you confidently move forward while protecting your valuable backup history.

Why are so many organizations considering a tape to cloud project? With the rapid rise in capacity of storage drives, combined with the equally rapid reduction in the price per TB in acquisition costs, many companies have opted for disk-based backups where once backup tapes were used. These disk backups are easy to implement, making the conversion strategy away from tape also easy to implement. The question becomes, what to do with the existing backup tapes that are sitting around requiring maintenance contracts on legacy equipment and software, while occupying expensive real estate.

At our data center or yours, let S2|DATA migrate your physical tape to one of several tape or virtual tape format options.

What are my options?

Physical tape to virtual tape on cloud storage

Whether it is AWS, Azure, Google, or some other cloud provider you use, this tape to cloud solution allows you to retire your physical tapes, along with the old equipment, maintenance contracts and storage space that come with them.

Physical tape to virtual tape on local disk

You can also keep backups on local disk. The migration process is the same. The only difference is where the backups reside.

Tape to new high capacity tape

Just like disk storage, the storage capacity on backup tapes has dramatically increased and the price per TB of data stored on tape has decreased. The latest generation of LTO tape will store 45TB or more per tape cartridge, at a fraction of the cost of disk storage. Tape is also air-gapped, so it is protected from issues like ransomware or infection by virus or malware. There is still a significant use case for tape, both technically and financially.

Common questions

Do I need the same backup software that created the tapes?

No. If you have already moved off the legacy backup software that created the tapes, that is not a problem. TRACS will read and convert your physical tapes to virtual tapes without needing to use the software that created them. If you are still using the same backup software and would like to continue using it for your backups in the cloud, we can work within the capabilities of your existing application so that you can use it for your virtual tapes after the conversion.

What if I do not have the catalogs?

That is not a problem either. In addition to converting physical tape to virtual tape, TRACS will catalog the tape contents, which can be provided to you in file format, or hosted in Invenire for you to log in and view at your leisure.

What if I want to keep my tapes?

No problem at all. Depending on retention and storage requirements, it may not make sense to undertake a migration effort. TRACS is able to read the contents of your backup tapes without requiring the software that created them. If you are still paying to maintain legacy equipment, and paying licensing and support fees for your legacy backup software, you can now stop. The cataloging and restoration features of TRACS mean you can free up that money for other priorities, without the fear of not knowing how to restore your legacy tapes should that be needed.

We moved to the cloud, but now we want to go back to tape.

We get it. Cloud storage has its uses, but it is not applicable to every scenario. We can assist in moving some or all of your virtual tapes back to physical tape, and take advantage of the significant increases in the storage capacities of modern tape.

What if I want to delete un-needed backups during the conversion?

Deleting unnecessary data reduces company risk. We highly encourage this practice and are happy to use our experience and expertise in the legal discovery area to consult on, and assist with, the deletion of data with no current business use. Give us a call and we can talk it through.

Why choose S2|DATA

Immediate cost savings

Retire old backup servers and licenses right away
Eliminate maintenance costs for legacy systems
Stop paying for outdated software licenses

Zero risk to your data

Keep all your historical backups accessible
Professional management of your backup migration
Secure, controlled data extraction process

Flexible implementation

Choose the approach that works best for your organization:

Keep existing storage while modernizing your backup server
Fully migrate to your new backup system
Custom solutions for any backup environment

Fully managed service

Our experts handle everything:

Secure data extraction
Backup catalog and file detail management
Complete migration oversight
Restoration capability maintenance

How it works

Simple setup:
We deploy our specialized tools in your environment, or receive your backup media

Smart processing:
Our cloud platform analyzes and organizes your backup catalog

Flexible options:
Choose how you want to maintain or migrate your historical backups

Seamless transition:
Move to your new backup system while maintaining access to all your data

Why now?

Do not let legacy backup systems hold you back from modernizing your infrastructure. With S2|DATA, you can:

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Modernize without compromise

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Maintain compliance and data access

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Reduce IT complexity

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Lower operational costs

Explore in more detail

Related legacy data services

Ready to modernize?

Contact your S2|DATA representative today to discuss how we can help you transition to a modern backup solution while preserving your valuable backup history.

Let’s Get Started

Download the Tape to Cloud Flyer