LTO-10 5-Fold Expansion Plan and Tape Storage Explained
FUJIFILM has announced an investment plan to expand its magnetic tape manufacturing capacity roughly 5-fold, measured by shipped storage capacity. Understanding LTO-10's storage capacity and how air gaps work also requires considering compression conditions and drive compatibility separately.
- FUJIFILM plans to invest roughly 10 billion yen over fiscal years 2026-2028.
- The roughly 5-fold expansion is measured by shipped storage capacity compared with fiscal year 2025, not by the number of cartridges produced.
- LTO-10's uncompressed capacity is 30TB or 40TB per cartridge, depending on the model.
- Physically separating tape from the network can reduce the paths available to online attacks.
- LTO-10 drives cannot read LTO-9 cartridges, so a plan is needed to migrate existing data.
FUJIFILM has announced an expansion of magnetic tape production capacity to supply LTO-10. The approximately 5-fold expansion is measured by shipment capacity compared with fiscal year 2025. Tape can be stored long term, disconnected from the network.
The expansion figures are based on FUJIFILM's announcement dated October 29, 2026.
What has changed in the magnetic tape expansion plan
This announcement concerns a decision to expand manufacturing capacity. It is not a report that the approximately 5-fold expansion has already been completed. The investment includes additional manufacturing equipment and staff.
| Category | Announcement details | Distinction to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement date | October 29, 2026 | Not the completion date of the expansion |
| Investment location | Odawara Site at the Kanagawa facility in Japan | A magnetic tape manufacturing site |
| Total investment | Approximately 10 billion yen | Planned amount for the entire investment period |
| Investment period | Fiscal years 2026~2028 | Based on fiscal years |
| Scale of expansion | Approximately 5-fold | Based on shipment capacity compared with fiscal year 2025 |
| Investment details | Additional manufacturing equipment and staff, among other measures | A plan to strengthen the production system |
Odawara (小田原) is the location of the facility receiving this investment. Shipment capacity is the combined storage capacity of the media shipped. It therefore cannot be interpreted as an increase in the number of cartridges by the same multiple. The announcement does not specify a multiple for expansion in unit count.
A footnote in the English announcement states the comparison basis as follows.
Based on shipment capacity, compared with fiscal years 2025.
FUJIFILM announcement of magnetic tape manufacturing capacity expansion, footnote 1
The announcement states that the investment aims to ensure a stable supply of LTO Ultrium10. Its statements about market share are also based on the manufacturer's own research. They should not be cited as market statistics verified by an independent organization. FUJIFILM expansion announcement
The relationship between LTO-10 and AI data archiving
LTO-10 is the 10th generation of a high-capacity magnetic tape storage standard. LTO stands for Linear Tape-Open. Ultrium is a cartridge format designed for high-capacity storage. A compatible drive is needed to read and write data on tape. LTO Program technical FAQ
FUJIFILM cites the growth of generative AI and cloud computing as the background to the expansion. It explains that data accumulated during training and inference creates demand for storage. This announcement reflects the manufacturer's assessment of archive demand. It does not mean that all AI data is moving to tape. FUJIFILM Japan headquarters announcement
Backups and archives retain data for different purposes. A backup is a copy used for recovery after a failure or deletion. An archive is a way of retaining materials over the long term for later use. Tape can serve both purposes.
| Data use scenario | Storage priority | Role of tape |
|---|---|---|
| Running services and repeated queries | Low access latency | A separate role as a long-term storage tier |
| Backups to prepare for failures | Securing recoverable copies | Storing offline copies |
| Data archives retained for a long time | Storage capacity and long-term retention costs | Storage media read again when needed |
How fine-particle hybrid magnetic material records data
Fine-particle hybrid magnetic material increases recording density within the same area. Recording density is the amount of data that can be stored per unit area. FUJIFILM describes it as a technology for increasing LTO-10 capacity.
This material combines nanoparticle design technologies used in BaFe and SrFe. BaFe is barium ferrite, and SrFe is strontium ferrite. It makes particles smaller while improving the magnetic performance needed for recording. Describing it simply as a mixture of two materials does not adequately explain the technology. FUJIFILM LTO-10 launch announcement
The 40TB model also uses an aramid base film. The base film is the underlying material that supports the magnetic layer. Winding a longer length of thinner tape increases the recording area within the same cartridge. Recording density and tape length therefore both contribute to increased capacity. FUJIFILM 40TB product announcement
LTO-9 and LTO-10 capacity comparison
LTO-10 comes in models with uncompressed capacities of 30TB or 40TB. Compressed capacity depends on how much the data can be reduced. The products' stated compressed capacities assume 2.5:1 compression.
| Item | LTO-9 | LTO-10 30TB | LTO-10 40TB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uncompressed capacity per cartridge | 18TB | 30TB | 40TB |
| Capacity with 2.5:1 compression | 45TB | 75TB | 100TB |
| Tape length | 1,035m | 1,035m | 1,337m |
| Tape thickness | 5.2μm | 5.2μm | 4.0μm |
| FUJIFILM WORM product option | Available | Available | Not listed in the official specifications |
This comparison is based on FUJIFILM's official Korean specifications. The launch announcement for the 30TB model was dated June 13, 2025. The announcement of U.S. availability for the 40TB model was dated April 2, 2026. The U.S. availability announcement date does not indicate the sales start date in every country. FUJIFILM official specifications
For data that does not compress well, calculations should use uncompressed capacity. Files that are already compressed may gain little from further compression. The 100TB figure is not guaranteed storage space for all data. LTO Program explanation of LTO-10
How air-gapped storage protects data
An air gap physically separates storage media from a network. A disconnected cartridge has no direct access path through the network. Simply recording data on tape does not create an air gap. Whether online equipment can still access it must be assessed separately.
An air gap does not guarantee protection against every cyberattack. There remains a possibility that corrupted data was recorded before disconnection. Disconnecting from the network alone does not address theft or physical damage either. CISA recommends regular recovery testing alongside offline backups. CISA StopRansomware Guide
| Protection measure | Main role | What must be managed separately |
|---|---|---|
| Air gap | Blocking access paths from the network to the media | Managing removal, return, and reconnection |
| WORM | Preventing recorded data from being overwritten | Media damage and storage conditions |
| Drive encryption | Restricting the ability to read data without a key | Encryption keys needed for recovery |
WORM prevents content from being changed once it has been written. FUJIFILM offers a WORM product for LTO-10 30TB. Encryption and WORM provide protection functions distinct from an air gap. FUJIFILM product options and features
How to assess power and costs in long-term storage
Tape media in storage requires no power to retain data. Drives and tape libraries, however, do require power. A tape library is equipment that stores and automatically loads cartridges. Managing environmental conditions at storage facilities is also part of operations.
Power-free storage of the media should therefore not be interpreted as power-free operation of the entire installation. Total costs must also include drives and storage facilities. Work involved in recovery and migration between generations must also be counted. Actual savings must be compared using the same capacity and storage period. FUJIFILM explanation of storage characteristics
LTO-10 drive compatibility across generations
LTO-10 drives can read and write only LTO-10 cartridges. They support both 30TB and 40TB media from the same generation. You cannot simply insert an LTO-9 cartridge into a new drive and read its data. LTO Program generation compatibility
| Drive | Media supported for reading and writing |
|---|---|
| LTO-8 | LTO-7, LTO-7 Type M, LTO-8 |
| LTO-9 | LTO-8, LTO-9 |
| LTO-10 | LTO-10 30TB, LTO-10 40TB |
This limitation affects migration plans for long-term archives. One option is to retain drives that can read existing tapes. Another is to read them with existing equipment and transfer the data to newer-generation media. Even if the media remains available, recovery may be blocked if there is no equipment to read it.
Calculation example: increased capacity and full read time
Greater cartridge capacity does not mean that the speed of reading all the data also increases. LTO-10's maximum uncompressed transfer rate is 400MB/s. The calculation below covers reading all the data on a full cartridge. It assumes that the stated maximum rate is maintained throughout.
| Calculation condition | LTO-10 30TB | LTO-10 40TB |
|---|---|---|
| Amount of data | 30,000,000MB | 40,000,000MB |
| Assumed transfer rate | 400MB/s | 400MB/s |
| Amount of data ÷ transfer rate | 75,000 seconds | 100,000 seconds |
| Transfer time alone | 20 hours 50 minutes | 27 hours 46 minutes 40 seconds |
TB and MB were converted using the decimal units in the product specifications. Compression effects were not included in the calculation. Loading and data location times were also excluded. These figures therefore do not predict actual recovery time.
Actual recovery is also affected by the speed of the storage device receiving the data. Time needed to retrieve the cartridge may also be added. Recoverability must be verified separately from storage capacity. This calculation was derived from the LTO Program's uncompressed transfer specifications. LTO-10 transfer specifications
Common mistakes and what to check
Expansion figures and product capacities measure different things. Successful storage and successful recovery are not the same outcome either. The following distinctions help avoid overstating what the announcement means.
| Common interpretation | What to check |
|---|---|
| The number of units produced has increased approximately 5-fold | A plan for future manufacturing capacity expansion measured by shipment capacity |
| Approximately 10 billion yen will be invested every year | Total investment for fiscal years 2026~2028 |
| The 40TB model always holds 100TB | Whether the data can achieve 2.5:1 compression |
| Using tape automatically creates an air gap | Whether any access path from the network to the media remains |
| New drives can also read previous generations | LTO-10 does not support reading previous generations |
| Data stored for a long time can be recovered at any time | The status of drives, keys, software, and recovery testing |
Frequently asked questions
Has the approximately 5-fold expansion already been completed?
The October 29, 2026 announcement concerns an investment decision. The investment period is fiscal years 2026~2028. It should not be cited as a report that the approximately 5-fold expansion has been completed.
Is the 40TB model a different generation from the 30TB model?
Both models belong to the LTO-10 generation. LTO-10 drives support media in both capacities. Compatibility with the previous generation, LTO-9, is a separate issue.
Can recovery testing be skipped if there is an air gap?
An air gap alone cannot confirm recoverability. Backup availability and data integrity must be tested. If encryption is used, the availability of the keys must also be checked.
What else should be retained when storing tape for a long time?
Equipment capable of reading the data and the recovery environment must also be maintained. Encrypted data requires key management that allows recovery. Backup software and data location information must also be included in recovery testing.
FAQ
What is the basis for FUJIFILM's approximately fivefold expansion of magnetic tape capacity?
It is based on capacity shipped compared with fiscal year 2025. It does not mean that the number of cartridges produced will increase approximately fivefold.
What is the investment period and amount for the magnetic tape expansion?
The plan is to invest approximately 10 billion yen during fiscal years 2026~2028. The investment will be at the Odawara site of the Kanagawa facility in Japan.
Does the October 2026 announcement mean that the expansion is complete?
It announces a decision to expand manufacturing facilities and staffing. It should not be read as a report that the approximately fivefold expansion has been completed.
How much can a single LTO-10 cartridge store?
Uncompressed capacity is 30TB or 40TB, depending on the model. Capacity at a 2.5:1 compression ratio is 75TB and 100TB, respectively. Actual compression varies depending on the data.
How does the fine-particle hybrid magnetic material increase capacity?
It is a material that combines the nanoparticle design technologies used for BaFe and SrFe. It makes particles finer while improving their magnetic performance. This increases the amount of data that can be recorded per unit area.
Do LTO-10 40TB and 30TB use the same drive?
LTO-10 drives support LTO-10 media of both capacities. They cannot read or write media from the previous generation, LTO-9.
What is needed to migrate LTO-9 data to LTO-10?
A drive that can read LTO-9 media is required. The existing data must be read and then written to LTO-10 media. After migration, you must verify that the data can actually be restored.
Does tape backup automatically create an air gap?
Simply writing data to tape does not create an air gap. The path for accessing the media from the network must be physically disconnected.
Does an air gap completely prevent ransomware damage?
It is a protection method that reduces network access paths to isolated media. There is still a possibility that damaged data was stored before isolation. Regular recovery testing is also needed.
Is a WORM product also available for LTO-10 40TB?
The official FUJIFILM specification sheet reviewed lists LTO-10 30TB WORM. It does not list a 40TB WORM product. The product lineup should be checked in the manufacturer's latest specification sheet.
Does a larger cartridge capacity also make recovery faster?
An increase in storage capacity does not mean an increase in transfer speed. Reading more data at the same speed takes longer. Mounting and seek times also affect actual recovery time.
Does tape storage require no power at all?
Stored tape media itself does not require power to retain data. Equipment that reads and writes data requires power. Environmental management of the storage facility must also be considered separately.
Sources
- FUJIFILM announces expansion of magnetic tape production capacity, October 29, 2026
- FUJIFILM: Fujifilm to Increase Production Capacity for Data Storage Magnetic Tape by Five Times
- FUJIFILM: Fujifilm Launches LTO Ultrium 10 Data Cartridge, June 13, 2025
- FUJIFILM LTO Ultrium data cartridge official specifications
- FUJIFILM North America announces U.S. availability of LTO Ultrium 10 40TB, April 2, 2026
- LTO Program: LTO-10 Technology
- LTO Program: FAQs About LTO Technology
- LTO Program: LTO Generation Compatibility
- Jointly published by CISA and others: StopRansomware Guide, offline backups and recovery verification
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