Editing Data8 (section)

{{short description|Magnetic tape storage format}}
{{no footnotes|date=February 2010}}
{{Infobox media
| name          = Data8
| logo          = 
| image         = [[Image:A_Sony_Data8_Cartridge,_112m.jpg|250px]]
| caption       = 
| type          = [[Magnetic cassette tape]]
| encoding      = Real-time
| released      = {{Start date and age|1987}}
| capacity      = 
| read          = [[Helical scan]]
| write         = [[Helical scan]]
| standard      = 
| owner         = [[Exabyte Corporation]]
| use           = Data storage
| dimensions    =
| extended from = [[8&nbsp;mm video format]]
| extended to   = 
}}

The '''8&nbsp;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&nbsp;mm video format]] recorders and [[camcorders]]. 

Until the advent of [[Advanced Intelligent Tape|AIT]], Exabyte was the sole vendor of 8&nbsp;mm format tape drives. The company was formed with the aim of taking the 8&nbsp;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&nbsp;mm [[helical scan]] videotape technology that was available then.

Exabyte's first 8&nbsp;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.