Where is the best location to lock up backup tapes for your servers?

The best location to lock up backup tapes for your servers is in an offsite fire safe. This choice is optimal because it significantly reduces the risk of loss due to physical disasters, such as fires, floods, or theft, that could occur at the primary site where servers are located.

Storing backup tapes offsite ensures that, even if the main facility is compromised, such as experiencing a catastrophic failure or a natural disaster, the backups remain secure and accessible at another location. The added protection of a fire safe further enhances security by safeguarding the tapes from environmental hazards like fire or water damage.

In contrast, keeping backup tapes in the server room poses a considerable risk; if the server room is compromised, the backups would be at risk as well. A filing cabinet, while slightly better than the server room, does not offer the same level of protection and could be easily accessible by unauthorized personnel. Similarly, while a tape library might seem like a secure option, if it is still on the premises, it falls short in providing the offsite protection required for comprehensive disaster recovery planning.