Demand for LTO tape storage media is at an all-time high

Total worldwide LTO tape storage media capacity shipped reached record levels in 2015. A key driver for why more data is being stored on LTO tape than ever before is tape’s powerful blend of cost effective, scalable, dependable, fast, removable and easy to use storage which continues to deliver a powerful solution to the challenges of data growth across a wide set of storage goals and vertical markets.

The LTO Program (HP, IBM and Quantum) today released the total industry LTO Ultrium format tape media shipment data, announcing a record 76,000 PB (compressed) of total capacity shipped in 2015 alone, an increase of 17.8 percent over the prior year. The milestone, announced in tandem with the launch of a new report showing both 2015 and year-over-year generational data, provides a clear picture of the long-term viability and importance of tape in today’s rapidly shifting storage environment.

The report also showed more than 385,000 PB of total data capacity has been shipped since the introduction of LTO Ultrium cartridges in 2000. A petabyte (PB) equals roughly four times the amount of data contained in the Library of Congress. For an understanding of the amount of data shipped to date, multiply the amount of data in the Library of Congress by 385,000, and imagine all of that data stored on tape.

The report shows significant increases in year-over-year total capacity shipped aided by the introduction of LTO-7 products, which were made available to the market during the last quarter of 2015. Shipments in 2015 reflect a small decrease in media unit shipments over the prior year, which is typical as the market anticipates the introduction of a new generation. The year-over-year unit shipments are offset by the total capacity shipped in the same period, indicating that tape usage is migrating to higher capacity LTO-6 and LTO-7 technologies.

Tape continues to serve IT professionals in many industries with low cost, secure and reliable data storage - especially for longer term applications. With LTO-7 technology recently coming onto the market, we’re expecting a continued use case for the technology in many industries, as well as adoption in new industries seeking ways to safely store rapidly increasing data.

Contact your BackupWorks.com Rep today at 866 801 2944 and ask about LTO-7 Tape for your Business.