HPE T950V 3 Drive Bay Assembly: Max 12 LTO Drives, 1010 Slots Expansion Library

Designed to elevate enterprise backup, archive, and disaster-recovery capabilities, the HPE T950V 3 Drive Bay Assembly is a powerful expansion module crafted for growing data needs. This component integrates seamlessly with the HPE T950 tape library family to unlock unparalleled scalability, reliability, and streamlined library management. By adding space for up to 12 LTO drives and a substantial 1010 media slots, it enables organizations to expand their data protection strategy without significant overhauls to their existing infrastructure. Whether you’re managing multi-petabyte archives, long-term retention commitments, or rigorous disaster-recovery timelines, the T950V helps you optimize retention policies, automate routine operations, and deliver rapid recoveries across on-site, remote, and edge environments. In essence, it’s a future-ready expansion that preserves your investment while offering robust performance, efficient media handling, and enterprise-grade control over your critical data vault.

• Maximum capacity and scalable architecture: The HPE T950V 3 Drive Bay Assembly is engineered to support up to 12 LTO tape drives and a total of 1010 slots when deployed as part of the expansion library. This expansive media capacity reduces the frequency of media swaps, supports extended retention cycles, and enables large-scale backups with ample headroom for growth. The modular design allows gradual expansion as data volumes rise, so you can extend your backup window, shorten backup cycles, and maintain service levels without disrupting ongoing operations.
• Enterprise-grade reliability and advanced library management: Built for field-proven reliability, the T950V leverages sophisticated robotic handling, robust cartridge management, barcode scanning, and comprehensive content indexing. These features deliver precise media tracking, fast media search and recovery, and strong data integrity across automated backup and archive processes. With dependable operation, fewer manual interventions, and streamlined governance, IT teams gain confidence in meeting strict backup SLAs and compliance requirements.
• Flexible deployment and seamless compatibility: The 3 Drive Bay Assembly is designed to pair with the HPE T950 tape library ecosystem, offering broad compatibility within the T950 family and related expansion configurations. It supports deployment across data centers, remote offices, and edge locations, making it suitable for mixed environments that require centralized management with distributed protection. This flexibility is ideal for organizations upgrading from legacy systems or expanding to accommodate longer retention policies and growing data pools.
• Optimized data protection and disaster-recovery readiness: By enabling more LTO drives and significantly increasing slot capacity, the T950V accelerates backup windows and speeds restores—critical for rapid disaster recovery. The expansion library helps maintain high availability for protected data, supports automated retention and migration policies, and enhances compliance with industry regulations. Its efficient robotics reduce wear on media and drive components, contributing to lower maintenance costs and higher uptime for mission-critical backups.
• Operational efficiency and streamlined manageability: This expansion module is engineered for IT teams that demand clarity and control over large tape environments. Centralized status visibility, intuitive library management, and streamlined integration with existing backup software simplify daily operations. With clear media and robot status indicators, reduced manual handling, and automated workflows, organizations can lower administrative overhead while preserving rigorous data protection standards.

Techncial Details of HPE T950V 3 Drive Bay Assembly

• Product type: Expansion library component for HPE T950 tape library systems
• Maximum drives supported: Up to 12 LTO drives (in combination with compatible T950 chassis)
• Media slots: Up to 1010 (expansion capacity for long-term retention and large-scale archives)
• Media compatibility: LTO Ultrium generations (support varies by installed drives and media campaign)
• Robotic system: Automated cartridge handling with barcode reading and content indexing
• Library management: Integrated with enterprise-grade management features for search, retrieval, and policy-driven retention
• Connectivity: Designed for seamless integration within the HPE tape ecosystem; standard interconnects to support reliable data movement
• Environment and form factor: Built for data-center deployments with rack-compatible form factor and robust cooling characteristics

how to install HPE T950V 3 Drive Bay Assembly

• Power down and disconnect all connections to the existing HPE T950 library per the manufacturer’s safety and maintenance procedures.
• Verify compatibility with your current T950 model and confirm available space within the chassis for the 3 drive bay assembly installation.
• Position the T950V module in the designated bay, aligning each connector and backplane with the host library to ensure proper electrical and mechanical engagement.
• Secure the assembly with the appropriate mounting hardware, then connect the backplane interconnects and any required data cables (SAS/SCSI or vendor-specific interfaces) as specified by HPE documentation.
• Power up the library and run the built-in diagnostics to verify drive recognition, slot allocation, and robotic movement. Calibrate the robot if prompted and ensure barcode readers are functioning correctly.
• Update library firmware if needed and re-scan media slots and drives within your backup software to incorporate the expanded capacity. Validate a test backup and a restore to confirm end-to-end functionality.

Frequently asked questions

• What does the HPE T950V 3 Drive Bay Assembly add to my library?

  The T950V expands your existing HPE T950 tape library by adding three drive bays and a large pool of media slots (up to 1010), enabling up to 12 LTO drives to operate in the expansion configuration. This increases throughput, capacity, and scalability for backup, archive, and disaster-recovery workflows.

• Is the T950V compatible with all HPE T950 models?

  Compatibility is designed to align with the HPE T950 family. It should be deployed as part of the T950 expansion ecosystem and may require matching firmware versions and cabling. Always verify with your HPE documentation or support to ensure proper integration with your specific chassis and software stack.

• How does the expansion impact backup performance?

  By increasing the number of drives and media slots, the T950V can significantly improve parallelism in backup operations, enabling multiple streams and faster data movement. This translates to shorter backup windows, faster restores, and improved disaster-recovery readiness for large-scale environments.

• What maintenance considerations come with the expansion?

  Regular maintenance includes monitoring robot health, ensuring barcode readers are clean and calibrated, performing firmware updates, and validating media integrity through periodic test restores. Proper environmental controls and adherence to retention policies help maximize media lifespan and library reliability.

• Can I expand further beyond the T950V?

  Yes. The T950V is designed as an expansion component within the HPE tape library ecosystem, enabling additional drives and slots as needed. For very large data protection needs, you can plan multi-module expansions or integrate with additional HPE tape library assets to achieve even greater capacity and performance.