Data8
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Media type | Magnetic cassette tape |
---|---|
Encoding | Real-time |
Readmechanism | Helical scan |
Writemechanism | Helical scan |
Developedby | Exabyte Corporation |
Usage | Data storage |
Extendedfrom | 8 mm video format |
Released | 1987 |
The8 mm backup formatis a discontinuedmagnetic tape data storageformat used incomputersystems, pioneered byExabyte Corporation.It is also known asData8,often abbreviated toD8and is written asD-Eighton some Sony branded media. Such systems can back up up to 60 GB of data depending on configuration. The cassettes have the same dimensions and construction as the cassettes used in8 mm video formatrecorders andcamcorders.
Until the advent ofAIT,Exabyte were the sole vendor of 8 mm format tape drives. The company was formed with the aim of taking the 8 mm video format and making it suitable for data storage. They did so by building a reliable mechanism and data format that used the common 8 mmhelical scanvideo tape technology that was available then.
Exabyte's first 8 mm tape drive was made available in 1987. This was followed up with their Mammoth tape drive in 1996, and the Mammoth-2 (M2) in 1999.
Exabyte's drive mechanisms were frequently rebranded and integrated intoUNIXsystems.
Metal Particle (MP) Data8 cartridges are essentially identical to Video8 cassettes, and can be used for video recording. Similarly, Video8 cassettes will work in Data8 drives capable of using MP tape.
Generations
[edit]NOTE: TheAITandVXAformats and some other less common formats also use 8 mm wide tape, but are completely incompatible.
Compatibility between tapes and drives and native capacities (GB)
[edit]MP | AME | AME w/ SmartClean | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 m | 54 m | 112 m | 160 m | 22 m | 45 m | 125 m | 170 m | 75 m | 150 m | 225 m | |
EXB-8200 | Y | Y | 2.4 | ||||||||
EXB-8205 | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||
EXB-8205 XL | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||||
EXB-8500 | Y | Y | 5 | ||||||||
EXB-8505 | Y | Y | 5 | ||||||||
EXB-8505 XL | Y | Y | 5 | 7 | |||||||
EXB-8700 | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||||
Eliant 820 | Y | Y | 5 | 7 | |||||||
Mammoth (EXB-8900) | RO | RO | RO | RO | 2.5 | Y | 14 | 20 | |||
Mammoth-LT | RO | RO | RO | RO | 2.5 | Y | 14 | ||||
Mammoth-2 | 6 | 12 | 33 | 45 | 20 | 40 | 60 |
Legend:
- RO - The tape drive can read this tape, but not write. (Read Only)
- Y - The tape drive can read and write this tape, but its size is not known.
- Numbered entries indicate the native storage capacity (in GB) for this combination of tape and drive.
Exabyte 8 mm
[edit]These drives usemetal particle(MP) tape.
- 1987—EXB-8200
- Full-height form factor
- 246 kB/s data transfer rate
- EXB-8200SX model features high-speed search
- EXB-8205: Up to 5.0 GB on one 112 m data cartridge (assuming 2:1 compression ratio)
- EXB-8205XL: Up to 7.0 GB on one 160 m data cartridge (assuming 2:1 compression ratio)
- 1990—EXB-8500
- Full-height form factor
- 500 kB/s data transfer rate
- EXB-8500c model features hardware data compression
- 1992—EXB-8505
- Half-height form factor
- 500 kB/s data transfer rate (uncompressed) / 1.0 MB/s data transfer rate (assuming a 2:1 compression ratio)
- Up to 10.0 GB on one 112 m data cartridge (assuming 2:1 compression ratio)
- 1994—EXB-8505XL
- Half-height form factor
- 500 kB/s data transfer rate (uncompressed) / 1.0 MB/s data transfer rate (assuming a 2:1 compression ratio)
- Up to 14.0 GB on one 160 m XL data cartridge (assuming 2:1 compression ratio)
- 1995—EXB-8700
- Tabletop (top-loading) form factor
- 8700 model included generic backup software
- 8700LT model included no software
- 8700SW included Cheyenne backup software
- 1998—Eliant 820
- Half-height form factor
Mammoth
[edit]These drives use Advanced Metal Evaporated (AME) tape, but could also read (but not write) MP tapes.
- 1996—EXB-8900 Mammoth
- 3 MB/s data transfer rate
- LCD on drive displayed drive status
- 1999—Mammoth-LT
- No LCD
Mammoth-2 (M2)
[edit]These drives used Advanced Metal Evaporated (AME) tape with a 2 m integrated cleaning tape header calledSmart Clean.
- 1999—Mammoth-2
- 12 MB/s data transfer rate
- 4.6 cm/s tape speed during normal read/write operations
- 1.6 m/s tape speed during search and rewind operations
- 17 s load time, from insertion to ready
- ALDC hardware data compression, 1 kB compression buffer
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]- A brief history of tape according to Exabyte
- Much Ado About Exabyte
- Identifying MammothTape and 8 mm tape drives
- Mammoth-2 Product Specification
- Technical details for several Data8 products