Product Comparison
Compare Q Series libraries by capacity, drive support, and operating profile.
Review core specifications, datasheets, and energy-conscious tape archive options for long-term retention workloads.
Decision flow
- 1. Confirm slot count, drive count, and growth window.
- 2. Map growth and ingest windows to class and drive count.
- 3. Validate governance controls (LTFS, WORM, encryption-ready).
- 4. Compare energy profile against always-on disk retention tiers.
- Up to 144TB native capacity in a compact 1U footprint.
- Remote Management Interface with local front-panel controls.
- Field-replaceable components for quick serviceability.
View product detail >Q Series
Q24 Compact
2U mid-range capacity with LTO flexibility.
- Scales to 432TB native with LTO-9 drives.
- Supports current LTO-8 and LTO-9 drive options.
- Designed for backup, recovery, and long-term archive.
View product detail >Q Series
Q40 Mid-Enterprise
Expandable 3U modules for growing teams.
- Scales from 40 to 640 cartridge slots.
- Up to 48 tape drives with modular expansion.
- Built for data protection and disaster recovery.
View product detail >Q Series
Q80 Enterprise
High-density modular system for global archives.
- 80 to 560 cartridge slots with expansion modules.
- Up to 42 tape drives in a single library.
- Remote management, encryption, and firmware tools.
View product detail >Q Series
Q1000+Powered by Orion
Rack-scale enterprise library — now available.
- 44.6 PB native per 48U rack with LTO-10 drives.
- Multi-rack scaling path for exabyte-class retention programs.
- Now available for configuration and sizing.
View product detail >Q Series
Power and energy consumption
Tape libraries can reduce the energy profile of cold data.
For inactive archives, LTO media does not require continuous power to preserve data. Qualstar libraries help move long-term retention data out of always-on disk tiers while keeping it managed, cataloged, and recoverable.
Drive assemblies
Modular drive options for throughput planning.
- Current LTO-8, LTO-9, and LTO-10 drive generations
- FC or SAS interface options
- Half-height and full-height assemblies depending on model
- Modular upgrades to expand performance or capacity
Outcome CTA
Model PB to EB growth and ingest windows.
Share growth assumptions, ingest windows, and restore SLA targets. We will map a recommended class and drive-count range.
Get a configuration + sizing >Comparison matrix
Q Series specifications
Specs reflect published highlights. Confirm final configuration with current datasheets.
| Specification | Q8 | Q24 | Q40 | Q80 | Q1000+Powered by Orion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interface options | 6 Gb/s SAS (LTO-8), 12 Gb/s SAS (LTO-9), 8 Gb/s FC | 6 Gb/s SAS (LTO-8), 12 Gb/s SAS (LTO-9), 8 Gb/s FC | 6 Gb/s SAS (LTO-8), 12 Gb/s SAS (LTO-9, LTO-10), 8 Gb/s FC, 32 Gb/s (LTO-10) | 6 Gb/s SAS (LTO-8), 12 Gb/s SAS (LTO-9, LTO-10), 8 Gb/s FC, 32 Gb/s (LTO-10) | SAS or FC (LTO-9, LTO-10) |
| Supported LTO generations | LTO-8, LTO-9 | LTO-8, LTO-9 | LTO-8, LTO-9, LTO-10 | LTO-8, LTO-9, LTO-10 | LTO-9, LTO-10 |
| Library height | 1U | 2U | 3U / 48U | 6U / 42U | 42U / 48U |
| Drives per module (std/max) | 1/1 | 1/2 | 1/3 | 1/6 | Up to 24 FH (48U) / 21 FH (42U) |
| Maximum drives | N/A | N/A | 48 HH or 16 FH + 16 HH | 42 HH or 21 FH | Up to 24 FH (48U) / 21 FH (42U) |
| Active cartridge slots per module | 8 | 24 | 40 | 80 | Up to 1115 (48U) / 974 (42U) |
| Maximum cartridges | N/A | N/A | 640 | 560 | Up to 1115 (48U) / 974 (42U) |
| Base unit capacity (native/compressed) | Up to 144/360 TB | Up to 432/1080 TB | Up to 1.2/3.0 PB | Up to 2.4/6.0 PB | Up to 44.6/111.5 PB (48U, 40/100 TB media) or 38.9/97.4 PB (42U) |
| Max capacity (native/compressed) | N/A | N/A | Up to 19.2/48 PB | Up to 16.8/42.0 PB | Exabyte scale (multi-rack, software dependent) |
| Max data transfer per drive (uncompressed/compressed) | Up to 300/750 MB/s (HH) | Up to 300/750 MB/s (HH) | Up to 300/750 MB/s (HH), up to 400/1000 MB/s (LTO-10 FH) | Up to 300/750 MB/s (HH), up to 400/1000 MB/s (LTO-10 FH) | Up to 400/1000 MB/s (LTO-10 FH) |
| Max data transfer rate (full expanded library) | 2.7 TB/h (HH) | 5.4 TB/h (HH) | 129.6 TB/h (HH) or 100.8 TB/h (FH + HH) | 113.4 TB/h | Up to 9.6/24 GB/s (48U) or 8.4/21 GB/s (42U) |
| Configurable mail slots | 1 | 1 | 5 per module | 10 per module | 7 per module |
| Expansion modules | No | No | 15 | 6 | Unlimited racks (software dependent) |
| Power supply | 80 W (max) | 300 W (max) | 230 W (max) | 350 W (max) | < 300 W (peak per rack) |
| Redundant power supply | No | No | Yes (optional) | Yes (standard) | 2N power (base + expansion) |
| Library Partitioning | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Standard remote management | Yes, FastEthernet | Yes, 1GbE | Yes, 1GbE | Yes, 1GbE | Yes, 1GbE |
| LCD operation panel | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Standard barcode reader | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Encryption and compression support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LTFS and WORM support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Self-calibrating library | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-Discovery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 3 years advance replacement service (FRU) | 3 years advance replacement service (FRU) | 3 years advance replacement service (FRU) | 3 years advance replacement service (FRU) | 3 years advance replacement service (FRU) |
| Certifications and safety standards | FCC, ICES, CE, UKCA, GS, VCCI, KC, BSMI, RCM; EC 60950-1, IEC 62368-1, EN62368-1, UL 62368-1 | FCC, ICES, CE, UKCA, GS, VCCI, KC, BSMI, RCM; EC 60950-1, IEC 62368-1, EN62368-1, UL 62368-1 | FCC, ICES, CE, UKCA, GS, VCCI, KC, BSMI, RCM; EC 60950-1, IEC 62368-1, EN62368-1, UL 62368-1 | FCC, ICES, CE, UKCA, GS, VCCI, KC, BSMI, RCM; EC 60950-1, IEC 62368-1, EN62368-1, UL 62368-1 | MS Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS and more |
| Compatibility with OS | MS Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS and more | MS Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS and more | MS Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS and more | MS Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS and more | Most popular backup and archiving applications |
| Software | Most popular backup and archiving applications | Most popular backup and archiving applications | Most popular backup and archiving applications | Most popular backup and archiving applications | Not specified |
Scale proof
Built for growth from compact deployments to rack-scale archives.
LTO-10 media class
30/75 TB and 40/100 TB classes
Q1000+Powered by Orion density
44.6 PB native per 48U rack
Q series path
Q8 and Q24 through Q40, Q80, and Q1000+Powered by Orion
Expansion model
Start small, expand drive counts and slots as retention grows
Integration proof
Integrates with modern networked archive workflows.
Qualstar deployments support standards-based LTO operations with remote management, automation controls, and Ethernet-oriented integration paths for distributed environments.
- Supports LTFS, WORM-capable workflows, and encryption-ready operations.
- Remote management enables shared operations across sites.
- Bridging-based Ethernet/iSCSI integration supports placement flexibility.