In 2023, 512.9 exabytes worth of tapes were shipped, an increase compared to 2022. According to the largest sellers, the AI ​​hype is increasing demand for tapes.

Tape storage has an archaic connotation. Analysts have been predicting for years that more modern physical and digital storage media such as hard drives, SSDs and the cloud would eventually make tape obsolete, but the opposite is the case. The three major players in the tape storage market – HPE, IBM and Quantum – are reporting an increase in sales for the third year in a row.

According to the report, 512.9 exabytes of tape storage capacity were sold last year, up three percent from 2022. Tape experienced a boom in 2021 and this positive trend will continue for the time being.

Growth thanks to AI

The manufacturers attribute the strong sales figures to “the increased infrastructure requirements of hyperscalers and enterprises.” The current AI hype also seems to be having a positive effect on the band, as AI workloads generate large amounts of data. The current growth is therefore likely to continue for several years.

Tape offers clear advantages when it comes to long-term storage of “cold” data that is not actively used. For this type of data, tape is even proving to be a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to hard disk. As companies now have more and more (unstructured) data, they are looking for cost-effective means to reduce storage costs. They should not just use tape for quick access or data recovery.