LTO Vs. RDX

In recent years there has been much debate about Disk vs. Tape based backups, opinions about the future of Tape backups vary greatly, but there can be little doubt that as disk becomes more affordable, the role for tape will continue to change over time.

Traditionally, one of the major advantages Tape has over Disk is it’s portability for offsite backups – as there are fewer moving parts in a tape cartridge, they are generally more robust and therefore safer to transport, and have a longer shelf life.

RDX technology has emerged in recent years to challenge Tape’s advantage in this area; a ruggedized Disk based backup System that operates in much the same way as tape, RDX cartridges can be dropped from 1 meter onto a concrete floor without damage, and have a shelf life of 30+ Years (as demonstrated by international ECMA standards)

Quick Comparison Table

 









How to Determine the Appropriate Solution
To decide whether LTO or RDX drives are right for you / your client, you should consider the following:

• Total Amount of Data to be backed up 
• Number of Tapes / Cartridges on rotation
• Restore Points Required
• Data Retention / Archiving Requirements

In General, RDX is most suitable for clients who want to back up smaller datasets and don’t need to archive lots of data for an extended period, LTO is a better option for clients with large datasets to backup, and / or who want to archive data for extended periods. Below are a few very basic scenarios to illustrate this (all prices below are AUD EX GST, RRP.)

Client Example 1 – Recommend RDX
In the below example RDX would be the most cost effective solution – almost half the price of the equivalent LTO solution

Daily Backup: 100GB
Weekly Backup: 400GB
Restore point Retention Requirement: 1 week
Tape / Cartridges on Rotation: 6

Cost of LTO Solution:
actiData (IBM) LTO3 HH SAS External Drive $1719
6x Maxell LTO3 Tapes $192
Total: $1911

Cost of RDX Solution:
Imation RDX External USB Drive $188
5x 160GB Imation RDX Cartridges $585
1x 500GB Cartridge $278
Total: $1051

Client Example 2 – Close call!
In the below example the Pricing is very close, decision would come down to other factors.

Daily Backup: 300GB
Weekly Backup: 900GB
Restore point Retention Requirement: 1 week
Tape / Cartridges on Rotation: 6

Cost of LTO Solution:
acitData (IBM) LTO4 HH SAS External Drive $1761
6x Maxell LTO4 Tapes $234
Total: $1995

Cost of RDX Solution:
Imation RDX External USB Drive $188
5x 500GB Imation RDX Cartridges $1390
1x 1TB Imation RDX Cartridge $449
Total: $2027

Client Example 3 – Recommend LTO
In the below example, LTO would be the most cost effective solution, less than half the price of RDX

Daily Backup: 400GB
Weekly Backup: 1.3TB
Restore point Retention Requirement: 2 weeks
Tape / Cartridges on Rotation: 12

Cost of LTO Solution:
acitData (IBM) LTO4 HH SAS External Drive $1761
12x Maxell LTO4 Tapes $468
Total: $2229

Cost of RDX Solution:
Imation RDX External USB Drive $188
10x 500GB Imation RDX Cartridges $2780
4x 750GB Imation RDX Cartridges $1652
Total: $4620