HP BC042A StoreEver LTO-9 Ultrium Tape Drive, External, 45TB Capacity

Name: HP BC042A StoreEver LTO-9 Ultrium Tape Drive, External, 45TB Capacity
Brand: HP
SKU: BC042A

Overview

The HPE StoreEver LTO-9 Ultrium (BC042A) external tape drive addresses the growing demand for high-capacity, secure, offline data archiving in enterprise environments. Each LTO-9 cartridge stores up to 18TB natively or 45TB with compression, representing a significant density increase over previous LTO generations and enabling organizations to archive massive datasets with fewer cartridges and less physical shelf space. The drive transfers data at up to 300 MB/s, ensuring that even large backup jobs can complete within standard enterprise maintenance windows. Built-in AES 256-bit hardware encryption protects sensitive data at rest without imposing any performance penalty on read or write operations.

As an external unit with a SAS interface, the BC042A offers deployment flexibility — it can be connected to any server equipped with a SAS HBA without consuming internal drive bays. LTFS support is a significant usability advantage, presenting the tape cartridge as a mountable file system that allows straightforward drag-and-drop file management, eliminating the need for proprietary backup software for basic archival workflows. For organizations dealing with regulatory compliance, disaster recovery planning, or air-gapped data protection strategies, the LTO-9 format's proven longevity — with an estimated archival life of 30 years — makes this drive a cornerstone of a reliable, cost-effective long-term storage infrastructure.

Key Features

Drive Type: LTO-9 Ultrium tape drive technology for reliable data storage and backup solutions

Compressed Storage Capacity: 45 TB compressed capacity allows for extensive data storage on a single cartridge

Native Storage Capacity: 18 TB native capacity provides substantial uncompressed data storage capability

Recording Method: Linear Serpentine recording technology ensures efficient and reliable data writing

Encryption: Built-in hardware encryption provides strong data security and privacy protection for confidential information

High-Speed Interface: 12Gb/s SAS connectivity delivers fast data transfer rates up to 300 MB/s native speed

External Form Factor: 5.25-inch width with 1/2H height external design for flexible installation and easy integration

Specifications

Brand

HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprise)

Model

BC042A

Type

External Tape Drive

Format

LTO-9 Ultrium

Native Capacity

18 TB per cartridge

Compressed Capacity

Up to 45 TB per cartridge

Data Transfer Rate

300 MB/s

Interface

SAS

Form Factor

3.5-inch (external)

Encryption

AES 256-bit hardware encryption

LTFS Support

Yes

Special Features

Portable

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Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

Massive 45TB compressed capacity per cartridge provides cost-effective long-term data archiving at scale.
300 MB/s data transfer rate enables efficient backup of large datasets within enterprise backup windows.
Hardware AES 256-bit encryption secures archived data without requiring additional software or performance overhead.
LTFS support allows intuitive drag-and-drop file access without specialized backup applications.
External form factor with SAS connectivity offers flexible deployment without occupying internal server drive bays.

👎 Cons

High upfront cost for both the drive and LTO-9 cartridges compared to disk-based storage solutions.
Requires a SAS HBA (host bus adapter) in the connected server, which may not be standard in all environments.
Sequential-access storage means retrieving specific files is significantly slower than random-access disk or SSD.
Large physical footprint and weight make it less suited for small office environments.
Limited backward compatibility — cannot read LTO-7 or earlier cartridges.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the storage capacity of the HPE StoreEver LTO-9 tape drive?

The LTO-9 drive supports up to 18TB native capacity per cartridge, or up to 45TB with hardware compression enabled (assuming a typical 2.5:1 compression ratio). Actual compressed capacity varies depending on the type of data being written.

What interface does this external tape drive use to connect to a server?

The HPE StoreEver LTO-9 uses a SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) interface, which is the standard high-speed connection for enterprise tape drives and provides reliable, high-throughput data transfer.

Does the LTO-9 tape drive support hardware encryption?

Yes, LTO-9 technology includes built-in AES 256-bit hardware encryption, providing one of the highest levels of data security for archived and backed-up data without impacting drive performance.

Can the LTO-9 drive read cartridges from older LTO generations?

LTO-9 drives can read LTO-8 cartridges and read/write LTO-9 cartridges. They are not backward compatible with LTO-7 or earlier generations, which is standard for the LTO roadmap's two-generation read-back policy.

What is LTFS and does this drive support it?

LTFS (Linear Tape File System) is supported and allows the tape cartridge to be accessed like a removable hard drive or USB stick, with drag-and-drop file management rather than requiring dedicated backup software.