Can LTO-7 drive read LTO-8 tapes?

LTO specifications provide backwards compatibility to read/write with previous generations. LTO drive generations 1-7 are able to read tapes from two generations prior and are able to write to tapes from the prior generation. LTO-7 Type M. LTO-9 drives can read and write to LTO-8 and LTO-9 media only.

Table of Contents

When did LTO-8 release?

Generations

Format	LTO-1	LTO-8
Release date	2000	Dec. 2017
Native/raw data capacity	100 GB	12 TB
Compressed capacity	200 GB	30 TB
Max uncompressed speed (MB/s)	20	360

What is LTO-8 tape?

LTO-8 is a tape format from the Linear Tape-Open Consortium released in late 2017. It succeeded the LTO-7 version, which launched in 2015. An LTO-8 cartridge offers 30 terabytes (TB) of compressed storage capacity and 12 TB of uncompressed capacity.

What does LTO stand for tape?

Linear Tape-Open
LTO (Linear Tape-Open) tape is an open-format tape storage technology created by Hewlett-Packard (HP), International Business Machines (IBM) and Seagate Technology. The term open format means users have access to multiple sources of storage media products that are compatible.

Can LTO7 read LTO 4?

LTO-6 drives can read only LTO-4 media. If you are mixing LTO-4 with LTO-6 drives and media in a single library, you must mark the LTO-4 media as read-only. You must check out all LTO-4 scratch volumes. LTO-7 drives can read only LTO-5 media.

Can LTO-7 drive read LTO-6 tapes?

Both the LTO-7 and LTO-6 tape drives can read and write data to LTO-6 tape cartridges. You must use a tape cartridge that is the same generation as the tape drive, or one generation earlier.