Tape backup drives remain one of the most common forms of data backup storage, thanks to their reliability and long-term archival abilities. Tape drives range from small units installed on individual personal computers, to large systems that provide enterprise-level backup capabilities.

The type of tape backup drive system you will use will depend mainly on your needs. There are a wide variety of tape drives available on the market, including 4mm digital audio tape, digital linear tape and Advance Intelligent tape drives. Each standard of tape design offers different capabilities, archival stability, storage size, and data retrieval rates.