HP

HP C7977A LTO 7 Ultrium 6TB/15TB Tape 10-Pack

4.1 (9 reviews)

Store up to 15TB compressed per cartridge with this reliable 10-pack of HP LTO-7 Ultrium backup tapes.

$574.99*
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jun 04, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

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Overview

The HP C7977A LTO-7 Ultrium 10-Pack provides a cost-effective bulk supply of high-capacity data cartridges for enterprise backup, disaster recovery, and long-term archival storage. Each cartridge in the pack offers 6TB of native storage capacity, scaling up to 15TB with 2.5:1 hardware compression. Native transfer speeds reach 300 MB/s, and with compression that figure climbs to 750 MB/s, making these tapes capable of handling large nightly backup windows efficiently. The cartridges are built on Barium Ferrite (BaFe) media technology, which offers superior magnetic stability and longevity compared to older metal particle formulations, meaning your archived data remains intact over decades of storage.

These LTO-7 cartridges support tape drive hardware encryption for securing sensitive data at rest, and they are fully compatible with the Linear Tape File System (LTFS), which enables intuitive drag-and-drop file access without proprietary backup software. HP's simplified tape path design within the cartridge reduces mechanical wear and tear on both the tape media and the drive heads, contributing to longer cartridge and drive life. With ten cartridges per box, this pack delivers up to 150TB of compressed storage capacity, making it well-suited for organizations running GFS rotation schemes or maintaining offsite archive copies as part of a 3-2-1 backup strategy.

Key Features

Capacity of 6 TB and up to 15 TB compressed capacity on HP StoreEver and non-HPE LTO-6 devices

Supports transfer speeds of 300 MB/s (native), 750 MB/s (2.5:1) with Generation 7

Barium Ferrite (BaFe) technology

Support for tape drive hardware encryption

Compatible with Linear Tape File System (LTFS)

Simplified tape path to reduce wear and tear

Specifications

Brand
HP (HPE)
Model
C7977A
Format
LTO-7 Ultrium
Native Capacity
6TB per cartridge
Compressed Capacity
15TB per cartridge (2.5:1)
Native Transfer Speed
300 MB/s
Compressed Transfer Speed
750 MB/s (2.5:1)
Media Technology
Barium Ferrite (BaFe)
Encryption
Tape drive hardware encryption supported
File System
LTFS compatible
Package Quantity
10 cartridges

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • High capacity of 6TB native and 15TB compressed per cartridge suits large-scale backup and archival needs.
  • Barium Ferrite (BaFe) media technology provides long-term data stability and resistance to environmental degradation.
  • Native transfer speed of 300 MB/s allows efficient backup windows even for large data sets.
  • Hardware encryption support secures sensitive data without relying on additional software.
  • Ten-pack quantity offers bulk value and enough cartridges for multi-tape rotation schemes.

👎 Cons

  • Requires an LTO-7 or LTO-8 compatible tape drive, which is a significant upfront investment if not already owned.
  • Physical tape cartridges require proper climate-controlled storage for long-term media integrity.
  • At 6TB native per tape, capacity falls behind newer LTO-8 and LTO-9 generations for the same physical footprint.
  • Transfer speeds are only achieved at the native rate with a compatible LTO-7 drive; older drives will not work at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Each LTO-7 cartridge holds 6TB of native (uncompressed) data and up to 15TB with 2.5:1 compression, depending on the data type and drive capabilities.
LTO-7 tapes can be read and written by LTO-7 drives, read and written by LTO-8 drives, and read by LTO-9 drives. They are not compatible with LTO-6 or older drives.
Yes, the HP C7977A LTO-7 tapes support tape drive hardware encryption, allowing you to secure data at the drive level without software overhead.
Linear Tape File System (LTFS) lets you access tape contents like a regular disk volume with drag-and-drop file management. These cartridges are fully LTFS compatible.
This is a 10-pack, providing 60TB native or up to 150TB compressed total storage capacity across all cartridges.