Free Tape Drive and Library Management Tool – VBR Simplify Backup and Archiving
Last time we talked about VeeamZIP and Veeam Storage Snapshots. This time, let's introduce another powerful free tool in Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition (VBR).
Introduction
Tape storage may sound old-fashioned, but it remains one of the most reliable and cost-effective solutions for long-term data archiving and backup. Managing tape drives and libraries, however, can be complex without the right software.
This guide introduces a free tape drive and library management tool designed to make tape operations easier for IT admins handling enterprise backup and archiving strategies.
When you buy a tape drive, you typically need to pair it with expensive backup software to use it. Many backup software vendors even charge per drive for tape usage—adding just one drive can easily cost hundreds of thousands in licensing fees.
With Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition, tape drive/library management and usage are completely free. Administrators can use the File to Tape feature to write data to tapes. The key point is, just like the previous two capabilities, no matter if your environment has 1 tape drive, 10 tape drives, 10,000 tapes, 10 million files, or 1PB of data, using Veeam's tape drive/library management is fully authorized and completely free, with unlimited usage.
Here is Veeam Tape library compatibility list
So next time you buy a tape drive, don't foolishly spend money on expensive companion software just for file-to-tape functionality. Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition is all you need.
Why Tape Still Matters in Modern IT
While cloud storage and disk-based solutions are popular, tape remains valuable because it offers:
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Low cost per terabyte for archiving.
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Durability with a lifespan of 20+ years.
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Air-gap protection against ransomware.
📌 According to IDC Research, enterprises still rely on tape for compliance and disaster recovery due to its long-term reliability.
Conclusion
A free tape drive and library management tool can simplify the often-overlooked process of tape-based backups and archiving. With features for automation, monitoring, and compatibility with enterprise backup solutions, it helps IT admins reduce complexity while improving reliability.
For organizations seeking cost-effective long-term storage, tape remains an essential component of a strong data protection strategy.