Buy LTO tapes from the UK’s LTO specialists
LTO (Linear Tape-Open) Ultrium tapes are the world’s most widely used data tape format for backup and long-term archive. Because LTO is an open standard, LTO tapes from HPE, IBM, Quantum, Fujifilm and Sony are fully interchangeable — any certified cartridge works in any LTO drive of a compatible generation.
Fortuna Data supplies LTO tapes for every generation still in service, from the latest LTO-10 tape to legacy LTO-5 and LTO-4 media for older drive estates. Order a single cartridge, 5-packs, 20-packs or thousands of tapes for a library refresh, with pre-printed barcode labels in your sequence.
LTO-10 tape
LatestThe highest-capacity LTO tape ever. 30 TB or 40 TB native per cartridge with AES-256 encryption and WORM options.
View LTO-10 tapes →LTO-9 tape
Best value18 TB native, reads and writes LTO-8. The go-to LTO tape for backup in mixed estates.
View LTO-9 tapes →LTO-8 tape
12 TB native, reads and writes LTO-7. Still widely used for enterprise backup.
View LTO-8 tapes →LTO tape generations compared
Each new LTO generation increases capacity and speed. The table below shows native and compressed capacity, transfer rates and drive compatibility for every current LTO tape generation.
| Generation | Native capacity | Compressed | Native speed | Compressed speed | Drive compatibility | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTO-10 | 30 TB / 40 TB | 75 TB / 100 TB | 400 MB/s | up to 1,200 MB/s | LTO-10 only (no backward compatibility) | 2025 |
| LTO-9 | 18 TB | 45 TB | 400 MB/s | 1,000 MB/s | Reads & writes LTO-8 | 2021 |
| LTO-8 | 12 TB | 30 TB | 360 MB/s | 900 MB/s | Reads & writes LTO-7 (incl. LTO-7 Type M) | 2017 |
| LTO-7 | 6 TB | 15 TB | 300 MB/s | 750 MB/s | R/W LTO-6, reads LTO-5 | 2015 |
| LTO-6 | 2.5 TB | 6.25 TB | 160 MB/s | 400 MB/s | R/W LTO-5, reads LTO-4 | 2012 |
| LTO-5 | 1.5 TB | 3 TB | 140 MB/s | 280 MB/s | R/W LTO-4, reads LTO-3 | 2010 |
| LTO-4 | 800 GB | 1.6 TB | 120 MB/s | 240 MB/s | R/W LTO-3, reads LTO-2 | 2007 |
Compressed figures assume 2.5:1 for LTO-6 onwards and 2:1 for LTO-1 to LTO-5. LTO-10 compressed speed up to 1,200 MB/s on 32Gb Fibre Channel drives.
Which LTO tape do I need?
The right LTO tape is the one your drive supports. Check the generation printed on your tape drive or library drive sled, then use the compatibility column above. As a rule:
- LTO-10 drives use LTO-10 tapes only (30 TB or 40 TB cartridges).
- LTO-9 drives read and write LTO-9 and LTO-8 tapes.
- LTO-8 drives read and write LTO-8 and LTO-7 tapes (including LTO-7 Type M).
- LTO-7 and earlier drives read two generations back and write one generation back.
Not sure? Send us your drive or library model and we’ll confirm the correct LTO tapes and part numbers.
Specialist LTO media
- LTO WORM tapes — write once, read many cartridges for immutable, compliant retention.
- LTO cleaning tapes — universal cleaning cartridges for every LTO drive.
- Library packs — 20-packs with pre-printed barcode labels, ready to load into autoloaders and tape libraries.
- Cases and transport — turtle cases and storage boxes for off-site rotation.
Why buy LTO tapes from Fortuna Data?
- Genuine, new and sealed media from authorised distribution — no grey or reconditioned stock.
- Every major brand: HPE, IBM, Quantum, Fujifilm, Sony and Spectra Logic.
- Pre-printed barcode labels on orders of 20 or more.
- Same-day quotes, UK next-day delivery and worldwide shipping.
- Independent advice from LTO specialists trading since 1994.
Storing LTO tapes
LTO media is rated for up to 30 years of archive life. To get it, store cartridges upright in their cases at 16–25 °C and 20–50% relative humidity, away from magnetic fields and direct sunlight, and allow 24 hours to acclimatise after moving them. See our LTO tape storage guide for more.
LTO tapes FAQ
What are LTO tapes?
LTO (Linear Tape-Open) Ultrium tapes are half-inch magnetic tape cartridges built to an open standard governed by the LTO Program (HPE, IBM and Quantum). Any LTO-certified cartridge works in any LTO drive of a compatible generation, whichever brand made it. Each new generation adds capacity and speed — the latest, LTO-10, stores 30 TB native (40 TB on the new LTO-10 40 TB cartridge).
Which LTO tape generation should I buy?
Buy the generation that matches your drive. For a new installation, LTO-9 is the best-value choice where you also need to read existing LTO-8 tapes; choose LTO-10 for the highest capacity per cartridge and lowest cost per terabyte at scale, bearing in mind that LTO-10 drives cannot read older tapes.
Can I mix tape brands in the same drive or library?
Yes. HPE, IBM, Quantum, Fujifilm and Sony LTO cartridges of the same generation are fully interchangeable because they are made to the same LTO specification. Most organisations standardise on one brand per library purely for easier stock control and barcode labelling.
What does compressed capacity mean?
LTO drives compress data in hardware as it is written. Quoted compressed figures assume 2.5:1 (LTO-6 onwards). Text, databases and logs often compress well; video, images and already-encrypted data barely compress, so size those jobs on native capacity.
How long do LTO tapes last?
LTO media is rated for up to 30 years of archive life when stored at 16–25 °C and 20–50% relative humidity. In practice the limiting factor is having a drive that can read the cartridge, so plan to migrate data every few generations.
Do you supply barcode labels?
Yes. We can supply LTO cartridges with pre-printed barcode labels in your chosen sequence — ideal for tape libraries and autoloaders. Pre-labelled media is available on orders of 20 cartridges or more.
Do you deliver outside the UK?
Yes. We offer next-working-day delivery to UK mainland addresses on in-stock media and ship worldwide. Ask for a quote with your delivery postcode or country and we will confirm lead time.
Get a quote for LTO tapes
Tell us the generation, brand and quantity — we'll reply the same working day with pricing and delivery.