● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 positive
Tape Storage Shipments Grew 57% in Q1 2026, Driven by AI and LTO-9/10 Adoption
Key points
- Q1 2026 tape capacity shipments rose 57% year-over-year.
- AI data demands, archives, and backups are driving growth.
- LTO-9 and early LTO-10 adoption contributed to increased shipments.
- LTO roadmap extends to LTO-14, offering 576TB native capacity.
Tape Storage Sees Significant Growth
The LTO Program Technology Provider Companies (HPE, IBM, and Quantum Corp.) announced a 57% year-over-year increase in tape storage capacity shipments for Q1 2026. This growth follows a record year in 2024, where 176.5 exabytes of compressed LTO tape capacity were shipped, marking a 15.4% increase from the previous year. While 2025 saw a 9% decline to 160.3 exabytes, Q1 2026 figures indicate a strong rebound in demand.
Drivers of Increased Demand
The surge in tape shipments is primarily driven by the escalating data demands from AI data centers. Additionally, traditional archive workloads and the need for cyber-resilient backups continue to contribute to the demand for tape storage. Hugues Meyrath, CEO of Quantum, noted that tape is increasingly seen as a strategic component for modern data infrastructure due to cost, energy efficiency, and cyber resilience pressures.
Technology Adoption Fuels Growth
The market's readiness for LTO-9 and LTO-10 technologies has also played a role in the recent growth. LTO-9 tapes support up to 18TB uncompressed or 45TB compressed data. Early adoption of LTO-10 cartridges, which store up to 40TB native or 100TB compressed, has further boosted shipment figures. The LTO program's roadmap extends to LTO-14, projected to offer up to 576TB native capacity per cartridge.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
LTO Program Technology Provider Companies (HPE, IBM, Quantum Corp.) reported a 57% year-over-year increase in tape storage capacity shipments for Q1 2026. This growth is attributed to increasing AI data center demands, traditional archive workloads, cyber-resilient backups, and the adoption of LTO-9 and early LTO-10 technologies.