Whether a hard drive or a CD, the media is where your data lives, and every different type of media has it's advantages and disadvantages. Next, we'll take a look at what's available.

Optical Media

This includes CDs, DVDs, and now the latest "Blu-Ray" technology. And are all data read by a laser. Optical media has been pretty cheap, fairly fast, and relatively easy to store and access. Backup, Storage and Archiving Optical Media can be a good solution for low-volume data management.

Pros:
Optical media is cheap (2GB/$1 based on a 23GB Blu-Ray disc). For limited amounts of data, running a monthly backup of your checkbook files on CDs or DVD is an effective solution. Also, the media can last quite a few years - anywhere up to 25 years with the right media. Easy to carry.

Cons:
While the speed of burning to a single disc isn't bad, as soon as you need two or more, optical media becomes a pain. If your data is bigger than the capacity of one CD you need to break it up into smaller folders. Once you've done that, now you have to keep track of where you've put stuff.

Best For:
Small backups. Transport. Cheap archival (if you don't mind going through a box of media).

Magnetic Media: Tape

Tape drives are typically more pricey than optical drives, but for that you're getting some pretty powerful features. A tape drive is generally set up as a behind-the-scenes automated backup. It runs on a schedule, is pointed to certain folders and data, and can assure you that your vital information is being safeguarded continuously.

Pros:
Tapes offer a stable, long-term storage option. They require some expertise in configuring, but once set up can be maintained very easily. Tapes are easy to take offsite and relativel inexpensive (1GB/$1)

Cons:
Initial costs are expensive. Tape drives and tape storage is not a great solution for maintaining accessible storage for data. Because the data is stored in a linear-access manner, jumping from the start of the tape to the end of the tape can be a time-consuming affair. Large amounts of data requires lots of tapes.

Best For:
Large Backups of a large amount of data over a long period. Archival when you have no other choice because of the amount and longevity of data.

Magnetic Media: Hard Drives

As the cost of hard drives drops and their capacity rises, they become very attractive solutions for any data management solution, whether backup, storage or archive. They can be almost anywhere. They can be inside your computer, attached with a FireWire, or sitting on your network, part of, or separate from, your server.

Pros:
Hard drives can be located and used in many different ways, making them very good solutions for all around storage and quick-retrieval archival. They're getting cheaper by the month (approaching 3GB/$1), and they record and read data very quickly. They can be used in redundant "arrays" (making multiple mirrored duplicates,) very easily, and very affordably. They can be used in huge-capacity solutions, with tank-like reliability, right down to ultra-compact drives found in your iPod.

Cons:
Because they are so dependent on the mechanism of the drives, they are also susceptible to the hard knocks of life. They can be damaged by heat, impact, extreme temperatures, vibration and magnetic fields. Large capacities are hard to transport offsite.

Best For:
All Storage. Backups when you need to backup more than a tape drive can handle in a session. Quick-retrieval Archives when used in a RAID system.