Authentic certified media offers wide-ranging benefits
By investigating potential certified media vendors carefully, data center professionals can be assured that the media they purchase will meet their needs and pay dividends to their organization.
For instance, data centers using recertified media can realize significant financial savings. Experts estimate that buying recertified media can reduce tape expenses by 25 to 50 percent or more, depending on the type of tape used and age of the system. Some forms of new media are priced at $7 per unit, for example, while comparable recertified media cost between $2.25 and $2.50.
In addition, the existence of a viable certification market allows data centers to turn idle resources – that is, surplus or obsolete media – into revenue. A data center may migrate to a new system, for instance, and be faced with storing large quantities of outmoded cartridges. Alternatively, they could sell the media to a certification vendor, who can make the tapes available to other data centers that are still using the previous system.
The use of recertified media also supports good corporate citizenship by encouraging recycling. Tapes are oil- and chemical-based, so data centers that sell old tapes or buy certified media contribute to the goal of preserving the environment.
Although there have been reasons to question the viability of certified media in the past, today’s leading vendors have taken steps to ensure their products represent quality, reliability and security. Data center professionals who have assessed the genuine value of certified media have discovered that the advantages can be great. When certified by knowledgeable, reputable vendors, this media often exceeds standards for newly manufactured media. In addition, use of this media can boost the bottom line by significantly reducing the cost of purchasing tape and even producing revenue if older or surplus media is sold to a vendor for reuse. All in all, this resource can contribute greatly to the cost-effective operation of a well-managed data center.
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