External Tape Drive HP HPE Storage LTO-9 Ultrium with 5x LTO-9 45 TB cartridges, SAS interface, 300 MB/s

External HPE Storage LTO-9 Ultrium tape drive supplied with five LTO-9 data cartridges (compressed capacity 45 TB). The drive uses LTO Ultrium linear tape technology with LTFS support and AES-256 hardware encryption, and connects to host systems via Serial Attached SCSI (SAS). The chassis is 5.25-inch half-height with a native sustained transfer rate of up to 300 MB/s and a 2.5:1 compression ratio, making it suitable for high-capacity archival backup and long-term retention in enterprise environments.

Advantages

The HPE Storage LTO-9 Ultrium external tape drive combines high native throughput with large compressed capacity per cartridge, enabling efficient, cost-effective long-term storage. Hardware AES-256 encryption provides data-at-rest protection without impacting host resources. LTFS compatibility makes tapes self-describing and accessible as a file-based medium, simplifying data interchange and offline retrieval. The SAS interface and rate-matching capability help maintain sustained streaming performance in mixed server environments.

Suitable for

• Long-term archival of large datasets and compliance retention
• Enterprise backup and restore workflows
• Offsite vaulting and cold storage
• Data interchange between systems using LTFS

Key specifications

• Tape format: LTO-9 Ultrium
• Compressed cartridge capacity: 45 TB (2.5:1 compression)
• Native sustained transfer rate: 300 MB/s
• Interface: Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)
• Hardware data encryption: AES-256
• Form factor: 5.25-inch half-height external chassis
• Chassis dimensions (depth × height): 223 mm × 223 mm
• LTFS support for file-based tape access

How to use

Install the external tape drive in a suitable rack or on a stable surface and connect it to a host server or storage controller using a compatible SAS cable and HBA that supports the required speed. Install vendor-recommended drivers and tape management or backup software, configure hardware encryption if required, and format or initialize cartridges using LTFS if you plan to access tape as a file system. For backup workflows, create and schedule backup jobs in your backup application, ensuring the host transfer rate is sufficient to keep the drive streaming for optimal performance.

Usage recommendations

Use enterprise-class backup software and a certified SAS host adapter to achieve the stated native throughput. Maintain a rotation and verification policy for cartridges, store tapes in a controlled environment, and enable AES-256 encryption for sensitive data. Use LTFS for straightforward file-level access when exchanging data between systems.