What is LTO WORM tape?
LTO WORM (Write Once, Read Many) tape is a special LTO Ultrium cartridge that allows data to be written and appended, but never overwritten, modified or erased. WORM protection is enforced by the LTO drive using factory-set identifiers in the cartridge, so it cannot be bypassed by software, administrators or malware.
LTO WORM tape is supported from LTO-3 onwards and is available for current generations with the same capacity and performance as standard data cartridges.
Who uses LTO WORM tape?
- Financial services — record-keeping and audit trail retention.
- Legal and eDiscovery — evidential integrity for case data.
- Police and public sector — digital evidence and CCTV retention.
- Healthcare — long-term retention of patient records and imaging.
- Broadcast and media — compliance recordings and master archives.
- Every organisation — an immutable copy as the last line of ransomware defence.
LTO WORM tape part numbers
| Brand | Product | Part number | Capacity (native / compressed) | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HPE | LTO-9 WORM cartridge | Q2079W | 18 TB / 45 TB | Quote |
| Quantum | LTO-9 WORM cartridge | MR-L9MQN-02 | 18 TB / 45 TB | Quote |
| HPE | LTO-8 WORM cartridge | Q2078W | 12 TB / 30 TB | Quote |
| Quantum | LTO-8 WORM cartridge | MR-L8MQN-02 | 12 TB / 30 TB | Quote |
| HPE | LTO-7 WORM cartridge | C7977W | 6 TB / 15 TB | Quote |
| Quantum | LTO-7 WORM cartridge | MR-L7MQN-02 | 6 TB / 15 TB | Quote |
| HPE | LTO-6 WORM cartridge | C7976W | 2.5 TB / 6.25 TB | Quote |
| Quantum | LTO-6 WORM cartridge | MR-L6WQN-04 | 2.5 TB / 6.25 TB | Quote |
| All brands | LTO-10 WORM cartridge | Ask for availability | 30 TB / 75 TB | Quote |
All media supplied new and sealed. Single cartridges, 5-packs, 20-packs and pre-labelled library packs available — ask for volume pricing.
Using WORM tape
WORM cartridges work in any standard LTO drive of a compatible generation — no special hardware is needed — but your backup or archive software must support WORM media. WORM cartridges are visually distinguished by a two-tone case so they’re easy to identify in a library or vault. Remember that WORM cannot be reused: plan capacity on the data you need to retain.
LTO WORM tape FAQ
What is LTO WORM tape?
WORM (write once, read many) cartridges let you append new data but never overwrite or erase existing data. The WORM status is enforced by the drive and the cartridge memory, so data is protected from accidental deletion, tampering and ransomware.
Who needs WORM tape?
Organisations with regulatory or legal retention requirements — finance, legal, healthcare, policing and evidence, broadcast compliance — and anyone wanting an immutable backup copy.
Do I need a special drive for WORM?
No. Any LTO-3 or later drive supports WORM cartridges of a compatible generation. Your backup software must support WORM media.
Need LTO WORM tape?
Tell us the generation and quantity and we'll quote the same working day.