Technology advances between DAT generations
DAT 320 (Seventh generation of DDS)
This latest generation of DAT drive provides an upgrade path to double the capacity, and 75% more performance for the largest installed base of any tape technology. It offers a native capacity of 160GB and a native transfer rate of 12.8MB/second. The DAT320 is backward compatible with DAT160 media.
DAT 160 (Sixth generation of DDS)
DAT160 doubles the capacity and performance of DAT72, with a native capacity of 80GB and a native transfer rate of 6.9MB/second. The DAT160 employs the same media as DDS-4, with the higher capacity and transfer rate achieved by using wider tape and a larger media wrap angle around the drum. However, it still retains two generation backward compatibility with DAT72 and DDS-4 media.
DAT 72 (fifth generation of DDS)
DAT 72 was built on the technology foundation of the previous DDS media format to achieve native capacity of 36GB using a new MP++++ formulation. DAT 72's 80% capacity boost over DDS-4 is the result of longer tape (170m rather than 150m), increased MP formulation, greater recording density (from 122 to 162 kbpi) and a higher track density.
DDS-4
DAT technology reached the 20GB per cartridge threshold with DDS-4. Following a familiar model, DDS-4 media included an improved MP media formulation and longer length tape. A higher-output MP formulation, designated MP+++, was developed to handle the higher track densities of the DDS-4 format.
DDS-3
The transition from DDS-2 to DDS-3 brought the largest capacity jump in the history of DAT technology, a 3x improvement over the previous generation. The 12GB native capacity of the DDS-3 format was derived from two key media improvements: a higher-coercivity (1700 oersted vs. 1530 oe) version of the MP+ formulation used in DDS-2 media, and a nominal increase in tape length to 125m. The enhanced magnetic properties of the higher-coercivity MP++ media supported a doubling of the linear bit density to 122 kbpi. DDS-3 also benefited from a significant non-media technology enhancement: the debut of highly efficient Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) read channel technology, contributing further to increased capacity.
DDS-2
The first major upgrade to DAT technology doubled the capacity from 2GB to 4GB. Media length was increased to 120m and a new higher-coercivity MP+ formulation was introduced. To reach the 120-meter target, a thinner tape was required. DDS-2 media was reduced to 6.9 um thickness, compared to 9.0 um for DDS-1.
DDS (or DDS-1)
The first implementation of the DDS-1 format used 60-meter tapes for a 1.3GB capacity. Capacity was upgraded to 2GB by extending the tape length to 90m, with no other changes in the tape formulation or the recording format.
DAT 320 (Seventh generation of DDS)
This latest generation of DAT drive provides an upgrade path to double the capacity, and 75% more performance for the largest installed base of any tape technology. It offers a native capacity of 160GB and a native transfer rate of 12.8MB/second. The DAT320 is backward compatible with DAT160 media.
DAT 160 (Sixth generation of DDS)
DAT160 doubles the capacity and performance of DAT72, with a native capacity of 80GB and a native transfer rate of 6.9MB/second. The DAT160 employs the same media as DDS-4, with the higher capacity and transfer rate achieved by using wider tape and a larger media wrap angle around the drum. However, it still retains two generation backward compatibility with DAT72 and DDS-4 media.
DAT 72 (fifth generation of DDS)
DAT 72 was built on the technology foundation of the previous DDS media format to achieve native capacity of 36GB using a new MP++++ formulation. DAT 72's 80% capacity boost over DDS-4 is the result of longer tape (170m rather than 150m), increased MP formulation, greater recording density (from 122 to 162 kbpi) and a higher track density.
DDS-4
DAT technology reached the 20GB per cartridge threshold with DDS-4. Following a familiar model, DDS-4 media included an improved MP media formulation and longer length tape. A higher-output MP formulation, designated MP+++, was developed to handle the higher track densities of the DDS-4 format.
DDS-3
The transition from DDS-2 to DDS-3 brought the largest capacity jump in the history of DAT technology, a 3x improvement over the previous generation. The 12GB native capacity of the DDS-3 format was derived from two key media improvements: a higher-coercivity (1700 oersted vs. 1530 oe) version of the MP+ formulation used in DDS-2 media, and a nominal increase in tape length to 125m. The enhanced magnetic properties of the higher-coercivity MP++ media supported a doubling of the linear bit density to 122 kbpi. DDS-3 also benefited from a significant non-media technology enhancement: the debut of highly efficient Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) read channel technology, contributing further to increased capacity.
DDS-2
The first major upgrade to DAT technology doubled the capacity from 2GB to 4GB. Media length was increased to 120m and a new higher-coercivity MP+ formulation was introduced. To reach the 120-meter target, a thinner tape was required. DDS-2 media was reduced to 6.9 um thickness, compared to 9.0 um for DDS-1.
DDS (or DDS-1)
The first implementation of the DDS-1 format used 60-meter tapes for a 1.3GB capacity. Capacity was upgraded to 2GB by extending the tape length to 90m, with no other changes in the tape formulation or the recording format.
"The DDS/DAT value proposition has always been based on the pivotal points of open standards and low cost of ownership."