Q402: [LTO - FAQ for computer tapes] : How many times can I use an LTO tape? | Data Storage | FAQ | Biz.maxell - Maxell (2024)

FAQs

How many times can an LTO tape be used? ›

We recommend replacing LTO tapes after use of approximately 250 times to ensure the safety of your data. Note that usage of 250 times is only an approximation and depends on the conditions of use.

Most manufacturers estimate that LTO tapes will provide dependable data storage for 15-30 years. However, LTO archives require precise storage conditions. Slight deviations in temperature or humidity can affect storage life.

Magnetic tapes stored under archival conditions (National Archives and Records Administration example) generally have a lifespan of about 10 to 50 years before exhibiting difficult to handle decay. Somewhere in the middle is most common.

LTO tape is designed for 15 to 30 years of archival storage. If tapes are archived for longer than 6 months they have to be stored at a temperature between 16 and 25 °C (61 to 77 °F) and between 20 – 50% RH.

LTO Ultrium cleaning cartridges need to be replaced after 50 uses. The only time you must clean your Ultrium tape drive is when the tape drive alerts you to clean it.

LTO tape health and errors. Tapes can be re-written hundreds of times, so for typical archive workflow there should not be any issues. The LTO drive monitors tape read and write errors.

LTO boasts an impressive 15 to 30-year lifespan. In comparison, HDDs are more volatile with a higher failure rate and a life expectancy of around 5 years. But buyer beware. The 30-year prediction only applies to tapes stored in a clean, controlled environment.

As data grows, tape capacity grows with it. The latest LTO tape format, LTO9, has the highest capacity at 18TB/cartridge (with a transfer rate of 400MB/s).

To help organizations meet stringent compliance regulations, LTO technology includes a write-once, read-many (WORM) option (LTO-3 tapes and newer) that stores data in a non-rewritable format. The technical specifications for LTO WORM media are identical to the standard RW cartridge.

There's no such thing as 'archival masking tape' for example, only 'acid-free masking tape'. Note that this is true even if they CLAIM it's archival. The only archival tape is gummed linen or gummed rice paper… the only archival paper is cotton, cotton rag, linen, etc.

Is gummed tape archival? ›

The high tensile strength of this conservation quality paper gummed hinging tape will support all but the heaviest works of art. The paper is acid-free and lignin-free with a calcium carbonate buffer and a pH of 8.5.

Archival Tapes

For a short time following their application, Filmoplast P and Filmoplast P90 can be removed with water. After aging, they can be removed only with an organic solvent. Even with organic solvents, the adhesive on these tapes can only be swollen, not dissolved.

Quantum LTO-9 offers the latest in LTO technology and delivers increased tape cartridge capacity with up to 18 TB (45 TB* compressed).

While tape shelf life can last up to 5 years, most adhesive tapes last 1-2 years.