HP C7976BN LTO-6 Ultrium 6.25 TB Data Cartridge 20 Pack

Name: HP C7976BN LTO-6 Ultrium 6.25 TB Data Cartridge 20 Pack
Brand: HP
SKU: C7976BN

Overview

The HP C7976BN LTO-6 Ultrium Data Cartridge 20-pack delivers 2.5 TB of native storage per cartridge — or up to 6.25 TB with hardware compression enabled — across a standardized LTO-6 tape format. At 160 MB/s native transfer speed (scaling to 400 MB/s compressed), each cartridge can complete a full native-capacity backup in roughly four and a half hours. The BaFe (Barium Ferrite) media coating is the key differentiator here: unlike older metal particle formulations that degrade as the magnetic particles oxidize, BaFe offers superior chemical stability and a rated archival life exceeding 30 years. For organizations bound by regulatory retention requirements, that longevity is not a marketing bullet point — it is a compliance necessity.

This 20-pack is purpose-built for IT departments and managed service providers running regular backup rotations or maintaining offsite archival vaults. Each cartridge conforms to the LTO Consortium's open standard, so compatibility extends beyond HP StoreEver drives to IBM, Quantum, Dell, and other LTO-6 libraries. The cartridges support AES 256-bit encryption when used with an encryption-capable drive, and WORM (Write Once, Read Many) functionality is available on WORM-variant SKUs. For environments still operating mixed-generation tape infrastructure, note that these cartridges are read/write compatible with LTO-5 drives at reduced capacity and read-only on LTO-4 — a useful bridge for gradual hardware upgrades.

Key Features

Capacity of 2.5 TB and up to 6.25 TB compressed capacity on HP StoreEver and non-HP LTO-6 devices.

Supports transfer speeds of 160 MB/s (native), 400 MB/s (2.5:1) with Generation 6

Specifications

Brand

HP

Model

C7976BN

Type

LTO-6 Ultrium

Native Capacity

2.5 TB

Compressed Capacity

6.25 TB (2.5:1 compression)

Native Transfer Rate

160 MB/s

Compressed Transfer Rate

400 MB/s (2.5:1 compression)

Media Technology

BaFe (Barium Ferrite)

Cartridge Type

RW (Read/Write)

Pack Quantity

20 Cartridges

Backward Compatibility

LTO-5 (read/write), LTO-4 (read only)

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Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

2.5 TB native capacity per cartridge delivers substantial density for offline backup and archival workflows.
160 MB/s native transfer rate significantly reduces backup windows compared to LTO-5's 140 MB/s ceiling.
BaFe media formulation extends archival life beyond 30 years, outlasting metal particle alternatives.
20-pack bulk packaging lowers per-cartridge cost for organizations managing large tape libraries.
Full LTO-6 standard compliance ensures cross-vendor compatibility with any conforming drive or library.

👎 Cons

Requires an LTO-6 or newer drive to access full capacity and speed — no forward compatibility with LTO-7+ native features.
Compressed capacity of 6.25 TB is theoretical and highly data-dependent; real-world yields often fall well short.
Physical cartridge format offers no random access — sequential read/write only, making individual file restores slow.
No hardware encryption built into the cartridge itself; encryption depends entirely on the tape drive's capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the HP C7976BN compatible with older LTO-generation tape drives?

LTO-6 cartridges are backward-compatible for read/write with LTO-5 drives and read-only with LTO-4 drives. However, you will only achieve full 2.5 TB native capacity and 160 MB/s transfer speeds on an LTO-6 drive.

What is the difference between the 2.5 TB and 6.25 TB capacity figures?

The 2.5 TB figure is the native, uncompressed capacity. The 6.25 TB figure assumes a 2.5:1 hardware compression ratio, which varies depending on the data type. Highly compressible data like text and logs will approach 6.25 TB; pre-compressed files like JPEGs and ZIPs will stay closer to 2.5 TB.

What does BaFe (Barium Ferrite) media mean for long-term archival storage?

BaFe is a magnetic particle technology that resists degradation better than traditional metal particle formulations. HP rates these cartridges for a 30+ year archival life, making them well-suited for compliance and cold storage use cases where data integrity over decades matters.

Does this 20-pack work with non-HP LTO-6 tape libraries?

Yes. These cartridges conform to the LTO-6 open standard and are compatible with LTO-6 drives from IBM, Quantum, Dell, and other vendors. They are not HP-drive exclusive.