SymplyPRO Thunderbolt / USB4 – Desktop LTO Tape Drive
Compact Thunderbolt LTO tape drive with one half-height LTO-7, LTO-8 or LTO-9 drive in a rugged all-metal desktop enclosure. Works with Thunderbolt 3, 4 and 5 computers and 40Gbps USB4 ports, with dual Thunderbolt 3 ports for daisy-chaining and 60W charging, SAS Host and Expansion ports, and your choice of Hedge Canister or YoYotta archive software included.
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Product Details
Single-Drive Thunderbolt LTO Tape Drive for Mac and PC
SymplyPRO Thunderbolt is a compact desktop LTO tape drive built for studios, on-set teams, and labs that need reliable backup and archive without a rack. A single half-height LTO-7, LTO-8, or LTO-9 drive sits in a robust all-metal enclosure with a premium power supply and cooling fan, designed for years of trouble-free service.
Two Thunderbolt™ 3 ports support daisy-chaining, with one port delivering up to 60W of power for device charging. The drive works with Thunderbolt 3, 4, and 5 computers, as well as 40Gbps USB4 ports. SAS Host and SAS Expansion ports add flexibility: connect the drive to a non-Thunderbolt workstation through its SAS Host port, or attach other SAS devices to your Thunderbolt computer.
Every purchase includes your choice of Hedge Canister or YoYotta archive software, so you can start writing LTFS tapes right away. The drive is also compatible with leading backup and archive applications, including Archiware P5, Veeam Backup & Replication, Commvault, and Cohesity NetBackup. SymplyATOM2, Symply’s free management software for macOS and Windows, handles drive diagnostics, verified firmware updates, and LTFS tape check and repair.
AES-256 hardware encryption and LTO WORM media support help enforce retention policies. Once a cartridge is ejected it is fully offline, giving you an air-gapped copy that ransomware and network threats can’t reach.
- Thunderbolt™ 3 with SymplyLOCK™ — dual Thunderbolt 3 ports with daisy-chain support (compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and 5 hosts and 40Gbps USB4 ports), including one port providing up to 60W of device charging.
- 12Gb SAS connectivity — SAS Host and SAS Expansion ports (SFF-8644) connect the drive to non-Thunderbolt workstations or attach additional SAS devices to a Thunderbolt computer.
- Choice of LTO generation — one half-height LTO-7, LTO-8, or LTO-9 drive.
- Capacity & speed — up to 18 TB native / 45 TB compressed per LTO-9 cartridge, and up to 300 MB/s native throughput.
- Archive software included — choose Hedge Canister (macOS or Windows, perpetual license with one year of maintenance) or YoYotta (macOS, one-year subscription) at no extra cost.
- SymplyATOM2 — free drive management software for macOS and Windows — diagnostics, verified firmware updates, LTFS check & repair, and full-tape write tests.
- LTFS support — tapes are written in the open LTFS format for simple, cross-platform interchange when you hand off projects or vault data.
- Compatible with leading software — Hedge Canister, YoYotta, Archiware P5, Veeam Backup & Replication, Acronis Cyber Protect, Commvault, Cohesity NetBackup, Arcserve, Retrospect, and Bacula.
- Security & compliance built in — AES-256 hardware encryption and LTO WORM media support for non-erasable, non-rewritable retention.
- Air-gapped by design — supports the 3-2-1-1-0 best practice with an offline copy for ransomware resilience.
- All-metal enclosure — compact footprint with premium fan and integrated power supply for clean installs in offices or comms rooms.
- Physical security — Kensington T-Bar™ lock slot.
- Compliance & certifications — CE, UKCA, FCC Class A, RoHS.
- Warranty — 3-year Advanced Replacement warranty, with an optional 2-year extension.
- SymplyPRO Thunderbolt desktop enclosure with 1x half-height LTO drive (LTO-7, LTO-8, or LTO-9, as ordered)
- 1x LTO data cartridge
- 1x LTO cleaning cartridge
- 1x 2m (6.5 ft) Thunderbolt 3 cable
- 1x SymplyLOCK™ Thunderbolt cable lock
- 1x 2m (6.5 ft) power cable
- Hedge Canister or YoYotta license (claim within 90 days of purchase)
- SymplyATOM2 management software (free download)
- 3-year Advanced Replacement warranty
Model
| Drive Form Factor | Half-height |
| Number of Drives | 1 |
| LTO Generations | LTO-7, LTO-8, LTO-9 |
| Host Interface | 2x Thunderbolt 3, 1x SAS Host (SFF-8644) |
| Expansion Interface | 1x SAS (SFF-8644) |
| Dimensions (D x W x H) | 27.5 x 21.1 x 9.2 cm (10.8 x 8.3 x 3.6 in) |
| Weight | 4.0 kg (8.8 lb) |
Configurations
| Part Number | Drive | Capacity Native (Compressed) | Performance Native (Compressed) |
| SYPRO-DT3L9H1B-AT | LTO-9 Half-Height | 18 TB (45 TB) | 300 MB/s (750 MB/s) |
| SYPRO-DT3L8H1B-AT | LTO-8 Half-Height | 12 TB (30 TB) | 300 MB/s (750 MB/s) |
| SYPRO-DT3L7H1B-AT | LTO-7 Half-Height | 6 TB (15 TB) | 300 MB/s (750 MB/s) |
** Compressed figures assume a 2.5:1 compression ratio.
Reliability
| Drive Type | MTBF (Hours) | MSBF (Mean Swaps Before Failure) | Load / Unload Cycles |
| Half-Height | 250,000 @ 100% Duty Cycle | 100,000 | 80,000 |
Media Compatibility
| LTO-9 Media | LTO-8 Media | LTO-7 Media | LTO-6 Media | LTO-5 Media | |
| LTO-9 Drive | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| LTO-8 Drive | ✕ | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |
| LTO-7 Drive | ✕ | ✕ | ✔ | ✔ | R |
✔ Read/Write ✕ Incompatible R Read Only
Environmental Specifications
| Environmental Factor | Recommended1 | Allowable2 | Non-Operating |
| Dry-Bulb Temperature | LTO-9: 15 to 25 °C (59 to 77 °F) LTO-7 and LTO-8: 16 to 25 °C (61 to 77 °F) |
LTO-9: 15 to 30 °C (59 to 86 °F) LTO-7 and LTO-8: 16 to 35 °C (61 to 95 °F) |
5 to 35 °C (41 to 95 °F) |
| Relative Humidity | 20 to 50% (non-condensing) | 20 to 80% (non-condensing) | 20 to 80% (non-condensing) |
| Maximum Temperature Change | 5 °C (41 °F) / hour | 5 °C (41 °F) / hour | 5 °C (41 °F) / hour |
| Maximum Humidity Change | 5% / hour | 5% / hour | 5% / hour |
| Temperature Limitation for Humidity Conditions | LTO-9: Max Dew Point 22 °C (72 °F) LTO-7 and LTO-8: Wet Bulb Temperature <= 26 °C (79 °F) |
||
| Maximum Altitude | 3,048 m (10,000 ft) | 3,048 m (10,000 ft) | 12,192 m (40,000 ft) |
| Dust Concentration | Less than 200 micrograms / cubic meter |
Storage & Shipping
| Condition | Environmental Specification |
| Short-term storage conditions | See operating conditions |
| Long-term storage conditions | See operating conditions |
| Shipping conditions3 | 5 to 45 °C (41 to 113 °F); 10% to 80% RH non-condensing; 26 °C (72 °F) dew point maximum |
1 Recommended: The recommended operational/storage environmental envelope provides guidance on the environmental range for optimal performance and high reliability. This environmental range protects for 30-year archival storage.
2 Allowable: The allowable operational/storage environmental envelope defines the test limits to verify that the equipment will function within the environmental envelope. This environmental range is defined for operational storage of less than 6 months.
3 Shipping: When shipping media over extended environmental ranges, shipping times should be limited to minimize the duration of media being exposed to varying environmental conditions at lower and upper ranges. LTO tape media specifications provided by the LTO program at www.lto.org or specifications provided by the media manufacturer.
Note: Prolonged exposure to conditions outside the recommended range, especially approaching the extremes of the allowable operating environment, can result in decreased equipment reliability and longevity. An occasional short-term excursion into the allowable envelope is generally acceptable but may result in performance and reliability implications and higher power consumption.
| SymplyPRO Thunderbolt | SymplyPRO XTH Thunderbolt | SymplyPRO XTF Thunderbolt | |
| Drives | 1 half-height | 1 or 2 half-height | 1 full-height |
| LTO Generations | LTO-7, 8, 9 | LTO-7, 8, 9 | LTO-9 or LTO-10 |
| Native Speed per Drive | 300 MB/s | 300 MB/s | 400 MB/s |
| Max Native per Cartridge | 18 TB | 18 TB | 18 TB (LTO-9) / 40 TB (LTO-10 Aramid) |
| Dimensions (D x W x H) | 27.5 x 21.1 x 9.2 cm | 30.0 x 21.1 x 13.6 cm | LTO-9: 30.0 x 21.1 x 13.6 cm LTO-10: 38.2 x 22.1 x 14.0 cm |
| Weight | 4.0 kg (8.8 lb) | 5.6 kg (12.3 lb) | LTO-9: 5.8 kg (12.7 lb) LTO-10: 7.7 kg (17.0 lb) |
Overview
Single-Drive Thunderbolt LTO Tape Drive for Mac and PC
SymplyPRO Thunderbolt is a compact desktop LTO tape drive built for studios, on-set teams, and labs that need reliable backup and archive without a rack. A single half-height LTO-7, LTO-8, or LTO-9 drive sits in a robust all-metal enclosure with a premium power supply and cooling fan, designed for years of trouble-free service.
Two Thunderbolt™ 3 ports support daisy-chaining, with one port delivering up to 60W of power for device charging. The drive works with Thunderbolt 3, 4, and 5 computers, as well as 40Gbps USB4 ports. SAS Host and SAS Expansion ports add flexibility: connect the drive to a non-Thunderbolt workstation through its SAS Host port, or attach other SAS devices to your Thunderbolt computer.
Every purchase includes your choice of Hedge Canister or YoYotta archive software, so you can start writing LTFS tapes right away. The drive is also compatible with leading backup and archive applications, including Archiware P5, Veeam Backup & Replication, Commvault, and Cohesity NetBackup. SymplyATOM2, Symply’s free management software for macOS and Windows, handles drive diagnostics, verified firmware updates, and LTFS tape check and repair.
AES-256 hardware encryption and LTO WORM media support help enforce retention policies. Once a cartridge is ejected it is fully offline, giving you an air-gapped copy that ransomware and network threats can’t reach.
Features & Benefits
- Thunderbolt™ 3 with SymplyLOCK™ — dual Thunderbolt 3 ports with daisy-chain support (compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and 5 hosts and 40Gbps USB4 ports), including one port providing up to 60W of device charging.
- 12Gb SAS connectivity — SAS Host and SAS Expansion ports (SFF-8644) connect the drive to non-Thunderbolt workstations or attach additional SAS devices to a Thunderbolt computer.
- Choice of LTO generation — one half-height LTO-7, LTO-8, or LTO-9 drive.
- Capacity & speed — up to 18 TB native / 45 TB compressed per LTO-9 cartridge, and up to 300 MB/s native throughput.
- Archive software included — choose Hedge Canister (macOS or Windows, perpetual license with one year of maintenance) or YoYotta (macOS, one-year subscription) at no extra cost.
- SymplyATOM2 — free drive management software for macOS and Windows — diagnostics, verified firmware updates, LTFS check & repair, and full-tape write tests.
- LTFS support — tapes are written in the open LTFS format for simple, cross-platform interchange when you hand off projects or vault data.
- Compatible with leading software — Hedge Canister, YoYotta, Archiware P5, Veeam Backup & Replication, Acronis Cyber Protect, Commvault, Cohesity NetBackup, Arcserve, Retrospect, and Bacula.
- Security & compliance built in — AES-256 hardware encryption and LTO WORM media support for non-erasable, non-rewritable retention.
- Air-gapped by design — supports the 3-2-1-1-0 best practice with an offline copy for ransomware resilience.
- All-metal enclosure — compact footprint with premium fan and integrated power supply for clean installs in offices or comms rooms.
- Physical security — Kensington T-Bar™ lock slot.
- Compliance & certifications — CE, UKCA, FCC Class A, RoHS.
- Warranty — 3-year Advanced Replacement warranty, with an optional 2-year extension.
What's in the Box
- SymplyPRO Thunderbolt desktop enclosure with 1x half-height LTO drive (LTO-7, LTO-8, or LTO-9, as ordered)
- 1x LTO data cartridge
- 1x LTO cleaning cartridge
- 1x 2m (6.5 ft) Thunderbolt 3 cable
- 1x SymplyLOCK™ Thunderbolt cable lock
- 1x 2m (6.5 ft) power cable
- Hedge Canister or YoYotta license (claim within 90 days of purchase)
- SymplyATOM2 management software (free download)
- 3-year Advanced Replacement warranty
Technical Specifications
Model
| Drive Form Factor | Half-height |
| Number of Drives | 1 |
| LTO Generations | LTO-7, LTO-8, LTO-9 |
| Host Interface | 2x Thunderbolt 3, 1x SAS Host (SFF-8644) |
| Expansion Interface | 1x SAS (SFF-8644) |
| Dimensions (D x W x H) | 27.5 x 21.1 x 9.2 cm (10.8 x 8.3 x 3.6 in) |
| Weight | 4.0 kg (8.8 lb) |
Configurations
| Part Number | Drive | Capacity Native (Compressed) | Performance Native (Compressed) |
| SYPRO-DT3L9H1B-AT | LTO-9 Half-Height | 18 TB (45 TB) | 300 MB/s (750 MB/s) |
| SYPRO-DT3L8H1B-AT | LTO-8 Half-Height | 12 TB (30 TB) | 300 MB/s (750 MB/s) |
| SYPRO-DT3L7H1B-AT | LTO-7 Half-Height | 6 TB (15 TB) | 300 MB/s (750 MB/s) |
** Compressed figures assume a 2.5:1 compression ratio.
Reliability
| Drive Type | MTBF (Hours) | MSBF (Mean Swaps Before Failure) | Load / Unload Cycles |
| Half-Height | 250,000 @ 100% Duty Cycle | 100,000 | 80,000 |
Media Compatibility
| LTO-9 Media | LTO-8 Media | LTO-7 Media | LTO-6 Media | LTO-5 Media | |
| LTO-9 Drive | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| LTO-8 Drive | ✕ | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |
| LTO-7 Drive | ✕ | ✕ | ✔ | ✔ | R |
✔ Read/Write ✕ Incompatible R Read Only
Environmental Specifications
| Environmental Factor | Recommended1 | Allowable2 | Non-Operating |
| Dry-Bulb Temperature | LTO-9: 15 to 25 °C (59 to 77 °F) LTO-7 and LTO-8: 16 to 25 °C (61 to 77 °F) |
LTO-9: 15 to 30 °C (59 to 86 °F) LTO-7 and LTO-8: 16 to 35 °C (61 to 95 °F) |
5 to 35 °C (41 to 95 °F) |
| Relative Humidity | 20 to 50% (non-condensing) | 20 to 80% (non-condensing) | 20 to 80% (non-condensing) |
| Maximum Temperature Change | 5 °C (41 °F) / hour | 5 °C (41 °F) / hour | 5 °C (41 °F) / hour |
| Maximum Humidity Change | 5% / hour | 5% / hour | 5% / hour |
| Temperature Limitation for Humidity Conditions | LTO-9: Max Dew Point 22 °C (72 °F) LTO-7 and LTO-8: Wet Bulb Temperature <= 26 °C (79 °F) |
||
| Maximum Altitude | 3,048 m (10,000 ft) | 3,048 m (10,000 ft) | 12,192 m (40,000 ft) |
| Dust Concentration | Less than 200 micrograms / cubic meter |
Storage & Shipping
| Condition | Environmental Specification |
| Short-term storage conditions | See operating conditions |
| Long-term storage conditions | See operating conditions |
| Shipping conditions3 | 5 to 45 °C (41 to 113 °F); 10% to 80% RH non-condensing; 26 °C (72 °F) dew point maximum |
1 Recommended: The recommended operational/storage environmental envelope provides guidance on the environmental range for optimal performance and high reliability. This environmental range protects for 30-year archival storage.
2 Allowable: The allowable operational/storage environmental envelope defines the test limits to verify that the equipment will function within the environmental envelope. This environmental range is defined for operational storage of less than 6 months.
3 Shipping: When shipping media over extended environmental ranges, shipping times should be limited to minimize the duration of media being exposed to varying environmental conditions at lower and upper ranges. LTO tape media specifications provided by the LTO program at www.lto.org or specifications provided by the media manufacturer.
Note: Prolonged exposure to conditions outside the recommended range, especially approaching the extremes of the allowable operating environment, can result in decreased equipment reliability and longevity. An occasional short-term excursion into the allowable envelope is generally acceptable but may result in performance and reliability implications and higher power consumption.
Compare Desktop Models
| SymplyPRO Thunderbolt | SymplyPRO XTH Thunderbolt | SymplyPRO XTF Thunderbolt | |
| Drives | 1 half-height | 1 or 2 half-height | 1 full-height |
| LTO Generations | LTO-7, 8, 9 | LTO-7, 8, 9 | LTO-9 or LTO-10 |
| Native Speed per Drive | 300 MB/s | 300 MB/s | 400 MB/s |
| Max Native per Cartridge | 18 TB | 18 TB | 18 TB (LTO-9) / 40 TB (LTO-10 Aramid) |
| Dimensions (D x W x H) | 27.5 x 21.1 x 9.2 cm | 30.0 x 21.1 x 13.6 cm | LTO-9: 30.0 x 21.1 x 13.6 cm LTO-10: 38.2 x 22.1 x 14.0 cm |
| Weight | 4.0 kg (8.8 lb) | 5.6 kg (12.3 lb) | LTO-9: 5.8 kg (12.7 lb) LTO-10: 7.7 kg (17.0 lb) |
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