Historically, Data Tape was the only cost-effective medium for deep archiving data, but ultimately, the performance was limited by the complex mechanical systems and linear nature of the Tapes. Retaining the benefits of an offline deep archive but moving away from linear tape to high-capacity disks eliminates the complexity and the need for periodic Migration and Compaction routines.

ALTO meets all requirements for a secure Offline Archive, supporting established workflows with established MAM and Archive management vendors. Each independently managed disk is inherently a self-contained reading and writing device capable of random access rather than sequential data tape access.

The disks in ALTO are individually spun down and switched off when not reading or writing, massively reducing power consumption and giving a disk life for decades. In this mode, the disks are unmounted, offering a “Virtual Airgap” and added security against malicious malware.  

Individual ALTO disks can be removed for vault storage, and ALTO files can recovered forensically with any external computer. Disks externalised to the ALTO Vault are fully Airgap secure to eliminate malware threats. Disks can be read and restored using a local computer.