


HPE LTO-7 Ultrium 15TB RW Data Cartridge – C7977A
Seventh-generation LTO Ultrium media for enterprise backup and archival — 6 TB native / 15 TB compressed (2.5:1).
Quick Glance
Key Features
Design
Ultrium Form Factor — HPE LTO-7 media uses Barium Ferrite (BaFe) magnetic tape in the standard Slate Blue Ultrium shell, built for high-duty library use and long-term retention.
Capacity
6 TB Native, 15 TB Compressed — HPE specifies LTO-7 at 6 TB native capacity and up to 15 TB using the standard 2.5:1 compression assumption.
Compatibility & Data Protection
Drive & Library Support — Part number C7977A is HPE's rewritable (RW) LTO-7 cartridge for HPE and compatible LTO-7 drives/libraries. LTO-7 drives read and write LTO-6 and LTO-7 media, and can read (but not write) LTO-5 media. WORM & Encryption — LTO-7 supports WORM media (sold separately) and AES-256 drive-based hardware encryption where implemented by the drive/library.
Detailed Specifications
HPE sources: HPE C7977A product page (capacity, product color, data tracks, tape length, archival life); HPE LTO Ultrium Cartridges datasheet (WORM/encryption/LTFS); HPE Support documentation (LTO-7 drive backward-compatibility). HPE's own published 'read speed, media: 700 MB/sec' figure is deliberately not shown as a spec here — it is identical to the figure HPE publishes for the unrelated LTO-8 cartridge, which is not physically plausible for a later, faster generation, and reads as a copy/paste error in HPE's own catalog data rather than a confirmed LTO-7 rate.
Best For / Customer Benefits
Customer Benefits
- 6 TB / 15 TB per cartridge cuts media counts and backup windows versus earlier generations.
- Barium Ferrite media built for 30-year archival stability.
- Reads and writes LTO-6 media, easing a mixed-generation library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Each cartridge provides 6 TB native and up to 15 TB assuming 2.5:1 compression.
LTO-7 drives write and read LTO-6 and LTO-7 media, and can read (but not write) LTO-5 media, following the standard LTO backward-compatibility rule.
Yes — WORM media is available separately, and AES-256 drive-based encryption is supported where implemented by the drive/library.
Slate Blue, per HPE's official specification page.
Still not sure? Reach out to us.
We'll confirm library compatibility and delivery options.

