HPE Q2079AN LTO-9 Ultrium 9 Data Cartridge 20-Pack (Non-Custom Label)

Overview

The HPE Q2079AN is a factory-sealed 20-cartridge carton of LTO Ultrium 9 data tape — the right buy when you're loading a new LTO-9 autoloader, replenishing a tape library, or building out a long-term archive that needs to stay readable for decades. Each cartridge delivers 18 TB native capacity (45 TB compressed at 2.5:1), and the 20-pack format reduces per-unit cost while eliminating the per-order handling friction of buying tapes one at a time. These are non-custom labeled cartridges, which suits most installations running barcoded media management through the drive or library's own label scheme.

If you're evaluating HPE storage media across the LTO generation stack, LTO-9 sits at the current performance and density tier — a meaningful step up from LTO-8 in both capacity and native transfer rate. The Q2079AN ships in individual plastic cases inside the carton, protecting each cartridge during warehouse staging and transit.

Key Features

• 18 TB Native / 45 TB Compressed Capacity: At 18 TB native per cartridge, 20 units in this carton represent 360 TB raw storage before compression — enough to absorb a full mid-size enterprise backup rotation without swapping cartons mid-run. The 45 TB compressed figure (2.5:1 ratio) applies to highly compressible data like databases and log files; plan around native capacity for already-compressed workloads like video archives or encrypted backups.
• 400 MB/s Native Transfer Speed (1,000 MB/s Compressed): A single LTO-9 drive streaming at 400 MB/s native will fully saturate most SAS HBA connections and push a 18 TB cartridge to end-of-tape in roughly 12.5 hours continuous. That throughput matters in tape library environments where backup windows are fixed — you get more data written per drive per shift compared to LTO-8's 300 MB/s native ceiling.
• Metal Particle (MP) Tape Technology: Metal Particle formulation is what enables LTO-9's combination of high areal density and mechanical durability on a 960-meter tape length. Compared to older oxide formulations, MP tape holds tighter tolerances across the width of the tape, which is why LTO-9 can achieve 18 TB on the same physical form factor as earlier generations.
• 30-Year Archival Life: Rated for 30 years under proper storage conditions, these cartridges are a defensible choice for compliance-driven retention policies — HIPAA, FINRA, government records. A 30-year media life also means tapes written today remain viable through at least two more LTO generations (LTO-10, LTO-11), assuming read compatibility is maintained per LTO consortium standards.
• Linear Tape File System (LTFS) Compatibility: LTFS support means the cartridges can be mounted and browsed as a file system without proprietary backup software in the middle — useful for direct-access archival workflows, media and entertainment post-production pipelines, and interoperability between different backup applications. Any LTFS-aware host can read the tape without a catalog dependency.
• Non-Custom Barcode Label: Each cartridge ships with a standard non-custom barcode label pre-applied. If your tape library or autoloader uses its own label scheme (custom VOL1 labels with specific prefix ranges), plan to re-label before loading — or order custom-labeled cartridges if your library management software requires a specific barcode format from the start. Most environments running a library with default label sets work directly with these.
• Individual Plastic Cases (20-Pack Carton): Each of the 20 cartridges ships in its own protective plastic case inside the sealed carton. This matters for staging: you can pull cartridges individually for loading without exposing the remainder to the data center environment, and the cases double as storage protection when tapes are vaulted off-site.
• Limited Lifetime Warranty (HPE): HPE backs these cartridges with a manufacturer warranty, which reduces procurement risk when purchasing in volume. Warranty coverage is on the media itself — it does not cover data recovery in the event of drive-induced damage, so verify your drive's firmware is current before high-volume writes.

Integration and Compatibility

The Q2079AN cartridges are designed for use in LTO Ultrium 9 tape drives and libraries. LTO-9 drives read and write LTO-9 media, and read (but do not write) LTO-8 media — meaning these cartridges are not backward compatible with LTO-7 or earlier drives. Verify your drive generation before ordering. Compatible platforms include HPE StoreEver LTO-9 Ultrium drives and autoloaders, Quantum Scalar libraries configured for LTO-9, IBM TS2290, and third-party SAS-attached LTO-9 drives from multiple OEMs.

LTFS support extends compatibility to Linux, macOS, and Windows hosts using HPE or open-source LTFS implementations. For enterprise backup software integration — Veeam, Commvault, Veritas NetBackup, IBM Spectrum Protect — these cartridges work with any LTO-9 drive the software already supports; the media itself is vendor-neutral within the LTO-9 specification. Browse the full LTO tape media catalog for other generations if your library is mixed-generation. For tape storage planning and retention policy guidance, see our storage and backup media buying guide. If you're also sourcing the drives themselves, the HPE StoreEver tape drive lineup pairs directly with this media.

What's in the Box

• 20x HPE LTO Ultrium 9 Data Cartridges (18 TB native / 45 TB compressed each)
• 20x Individual protective plastic cases (one per cartridge)
• 20x Non-custom barcode labels (pre-applied)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are the Q2079AN cartridges compatible with LTO-8 drives?

A: No. LTO-9 cartridges require an LTO-9 drive. LTO-9 drives read LTO-8 and LTO-9 media, but LTO-8 drives cannot read or write LTO-9 cartridges. Confirm your drive generation before ordering.

Q: What is the actual usable capacity per cartridge for encrypted or already-compressed data?

A: Plan around the 18 TB native figure. The 45 TB compressed rating assumes a 2.5:1 compression ratio on compressible data. Encrypted files, video files, and already-compressed data compress very little — effective capacity for those workloads will be close to 18 TB per cartridge.

Q: Do these cartridges come with custom barcode labels for my tape library?

A: No. The Q2079AN ships with standard non-custom barcode labels pre-applied. If your library management software requires a specific barcode prefix or custom label format, you would need to source custom-labeled cartridges or apply your own labels before loading.

Q: What warranty does HPE provide on the Q2079AN?

A: HPE provides a Limited Lifetime Warranty on these cartridges covering defects in media and materials. This covers the physical cartridge — it does not extend to data recovery services in the event of drive-induced read/write failures.

Q: Is LTFS supported, and what does that mean for my backup software?

A: Yes, the Q2079AN supports the Linear Tape File System (LTFS). This allows the tape to be accessed as a standard file system on any LTFS-compatible host without requiring proprietary backup catalog software. For enterprise backup applications (Veeam, Veritas, Commvault, IBM Spectrum Protect), LTFS is not required — those applications manage the cartridge through their own catalog independently.

Q: How long can these tapes be stored before the data degrades?

A: HPE rates the archival life at 30 years under proper storage conditions (controlled temperature and humidity, stored vertically in cases away from magnetic fields). For off-site vaulting or compliance retention, this meets most regulatory hold periods.

Marty Allison

The Q2079AN is the format I recommend when a site is commissioning a new LTO-9 library and needs to stock it properly from the start — 20 cartridges at 18 TB native each gives you 360 TB raw in a single purchase, which covers most initial library loads without a second order. That 30-year archival life rating is the spec I point to most in compliance conversations: it's not a marketing figure, it's an LTO Consortium media specification, and it holds up against HIPAA and FINRA retention requirements without requiring a media refresh cycle mid-retention-period.

Technical Highlights:

• Native Transfer Rate — 400 MB/s: A step up from LTO-8's 300 MB/s ceiling, which meaningfully shortens backup windows in a multi-drive library. At 400 MB/s, one drive writes a full 18 TB cartridge in approximately 12.5 hours continuous — relevant when you're calculating drive count against a fixed overnight window.
• Metal Particle Formulation on 960-Meter Tape: MP tape enables the areal density LTO-9 requires. The 960-meter tape length is the same physical form factor as prior generations, but MP allows HPE to pack 18 TB onto it — the formulation, not the cartridge size, is what moved the needle from LTO-8's 12 TB native.
• LTFS Compatibility: Direct file-system access without backup software catalog dependency is the feature that makes these useful outside traditional IT backup — post-production video archival, scientific data repositories, regulatory document vaulting. Any LTFS-capable host can read the media without a software license in the middle.

Deployment Considerations:

• Non-custom labels work for most libraries running default barcode ranges, but if your library management system (like HPE Command View TL or Quantum iLayer) is configured for a specific VOL1 prefix, verify label compatibility before loading the carton — relabeling 20 cartridges post-delivery adds labor cost and risk of mislabeling.
• The 45 TB compressed figure is only achievable on genuinely compressible workloads. Video surveillance footage, encrypted backup streams, and deduplicated data pools will land close to the 18 TB native number — size your tape rotation on native capacity and treat compression as a bonus, not a planning assumption.

The Q2079AN carton is the right call for IT infrastructure teams commissioning a Quantum Scalar or HPE StoreEver LTO-9 library where the goal is a clean, single-vendor media supply chain with maximum shelf life — specifically for compliance-driven archival where a 30-year media rating is an auditable specification, not an estimate.