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Apart from regular backups, there is some data that I want to archive (e.g., old projects that aren't needed anymore).

I wonder if there is any benefit to using WORM media instead of regular tapes (apart from the inability to accidently overwrite it)? There is no legal/regulatory need for WORM, but I can't find real info whether those tapes are more/less/equally reliable than regular ones.

This is for LTO tapes.

Michael Stum
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No benefit whatsoever in a technical sense. Some may argue it's "legally safer" (as you write), but I wouldn't vouch for that.

Lenniey
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LTO tapes have a write-protect switch. Procedures for if and when a protected tape is reused would make accidental deletion difficult. For example, you might set write protect on an archive you make, and never reuse such a tape for short term backups.

WORM media is supposedly the same, but with tamper detection and overwrite prevention. So more expensive for the compliance feature, but expect similar performance. You could add a couple WORM tapes to your archive to test performance, but I doubt you would get a statistically significant result.

John Mahowald
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    The only caveat is that a write-protect switch requires human intervention and oversight and can therefore be defeated or overlooked. If you want/need to remove the human part of the equation then WORM is preferred. – joeqwerty Jan 10 '19 at 17:42
  • _There is no legal/regulatory need for WORM, but I can't find real info whether those tapes are more/less/equally reliable than regular ones._ WORM tapes are not more reliable, nor less reliable, the underlying materials etc. are **exactly** the same. – Lenniey Jan 11 '19 at 10:35
  • @Lenniey I thought I read somewhere that the material is meant to "deterioate" when written to still be readable, but not writable again. Though now I wonder if this was LTO or another tape format. – Michael Stum Jan 13 '19 at 22:57
  • Media with a short shelf life feature seems unusual, usually archivists fight degradation. Data destruction procedures including encryption or physical destruction will get rid of data no matter what state the media is in. – John Mahowald Jan 14 '19 at 23:04
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The tape in LTO WORM cartridges and its reliability/longevity is identical to the standard R/W tape. The difference is in the cartridge memory which identifies the tape as WORM. Basically, there's only a legal or logical difference.

If you want to make sure the data is safe you should always have two copies, stored in different buildings/fire sections. Note the vendor specifications and store properly.

Zac67
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