 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (February 2010) |
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| Media type | Magnetic cassette tape |
|---|---|
| Encoding | Real-time |
| Read mechanism | Helical scan |
| Write mechanism | Helical scan |
| Developed by | Exabyte Corporation |
| Usage | Data storage |
| Extended from | 8 mm video format |
| Released | 1987 |
The 8 mm backup format is a discontinued magnetic tape data storage format used in computer systems, pioneered by Exabyte Corporation. It is also known as Data8, often abbreviated to D8 and is written as D-Eight on 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 in 8 mm video format recorders and camcorders.
Until the advent of AIT, 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 mm helical scan video 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 into UNIX systems.
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.