The Myths and Realities of Recertification

Selling used tape to be recertified and re-sold to another organization is a practice some IT departments have begun to employ. While selling used tape may produce a very small amount of revenue for the company or IT department, the competitive and security risks of this practice far outweigh any benefits. The possibility of recovering data from "recertified" tapes and the risk of violating government privacy and compliance regulations can be far more damaging to a company's reputation and finances.

The risks to the buyer are just as great. In exchange for a small savings on the cost of a tape, buyers of used tape cartridges risk higher costs in terms of using unreliable, unpredictable media, higher tech support costs and the very real possibility of introducing risks into otherwise protected environments.

In reality, there is no industry-standard process for "recertifying" or "recycling" tapes. In general, however, used tape purveyors are employing one of two practices: degaussing or rewriting.

Degaussing is the process of erasing data through magnetization. Unfortunately, degaussing isn't always possible, particularly on newer tape formats such as LTO Ultrium, 9840, 9940, 3590, and 3590E. These cartridges contain factory-written servo patterns that are destroyed by the degaussing process, rendering the cartridges useless. And, even for those formats that can be degaussed, the process may not completely erase data, particularly if the magnetic field used in the process is not powerful enough. Readable data may, in fact, still be found on tapes that have been degaussed. Click here to read a recent case study on how Imation audited a degaussing process and found data remaining on tapes.

Alternatively, rewriting involves overwriting usable data with non-usable data, often a pattern of ones and zeros. While thorough rewriting of a cartridge does cover up the old data, the process is time consuming. For example, completely rewriting a 9840 cartridge would take a recertifier approximately 40 minutes (more time is needed for larger capacity cartridges).

The likelihood of all recertified tapes going through a thorough and effective rewriting process is doubtful because of the amount of time it takes to complete the process. For example, if a recertifier rewrote 60,000 cartridges, the process would take approximately 4.5 years to complete. Even if the recertifier were to dedicate 20 drives to this project, it would still take more than 2 months of uninterrupted rewriting to complete.

Common Myths & Realities of Used Tape

Myth #1
Earning revenue from selling used media is good business.

Reality
While making money by selling used tape might seem compelling, the security and competitive risks that can adversely affect a company's reputation and finances are far greater. Selling used tapes can also put a company at risk of violating governmental regulations for privacy and records compliance.


Myth #2
Saving money by buying recertified media is a smart business practice.

Reality
Using recertified tape will cost more in the long run. Users of recertified media have no way of knowing the care and handling history of each cartridge, its life expectancy and reliability. And, because those factors vary from one cartridge to another, predictability and reliability of the overall system is degraded. Failures and re-runs become more likely and less predictable, driving up support costs and disruption to core business processes.


Myth #3
Recertified tape cartridges have the same expected life expectancy as new tape.

Reality Recertified tape's archival life expectancy is unknown because no reliable information is available as to the age or condition of each tape cartridge. And, while new tape has an expected archival life of 15 to 30 years and is under a manufacturer's warranty, recertified tape is not covered under a manufacturer's warranty.


Myth #4
Recertified tape cartridges contain no data from previous uses.

Reality
Recertified cartridges can contain data left behind by the former owner. Degaussing doesn't guarantee data erasure and may not be applicable to newer types of media. Rewriting is a very time consuming process and a recertifier may not invest the resources to completely rewrite the tape cartridge.


Myth #5
Recertified tape is as reliable as new tape.

Reality
The "unknowns" of recertified tape are plentiful and plenty worrisome: unknown expected archival life; unknown care and handling history; unknown storage conditions; unknown debris on the tape surface; unknown quality control standards; unknown technical specifications. Adding to the unknowns: no technical service support, no problem resolution support and no manufacturer's warranty.

New tape cartridges have an expected archival life of 15 to 30 years and have known quality controls: no environmental contamination; they meet or exceeded published technical specifications; they have undergone more than 200 individual tests for quality control. Furthermore, new cartridges are under warranty and carry with them the manufacturer's commitment to problem resolution and technical support.


Myth #6
When my company orders tape cartridges, all of the cartridges supplied are new.

Reality
Unless you ask for it by name, you may not be getting new cartridges. Specifying "new" on the purchase order is the best way to ensure new tapes will be delivered.


Myth #7
I can tell if my tape is new or not-it's very obvious.

Reality Don't be so sure. Most recertified media has been repackaged to look like it's brand new. If you are unsure if your tape is new or used, call the manufacturer or contact Imation's Alliance Program to receive a free scan and free tape destruction.