DAT Extends Share in Low-End Tape Drive Market
According to part of an IDC report revealed by the DAT Manufacturers Group
This is a Press Release edited by StorageNewsletter.com on May 26, 2008 at 11:35 amRecent analyst data from IDC (April 2008), reports that DAT technology has extended its market share of the low-end tape drive market from 72.6% in 2006 to 76.5% in 2007 with shipments of 441,000 units during the year. This was 9x higher than AIT, the closest technology rival to DAT for low-end tape backup.
DAT technology also holds a steady second place in the overall tape drive market to another open-standard tape technology, LTO Ultrium, which leads with 46% to DAT’s 35% share of all tape technology shipments.
Of the DAT drives shipped during 2007, DAT72 accounted for 85% and the new DAT160 tape drives launched in June 2007, for 3% after just 6 months and an impressive shipment ramp. The increasing concentration of worldwide low-end tape drive sales around DAT technology looks set to continue in 2008 with the new DAT160 tape drive enabling low-end customers to upgrade performance, functionality and value.
Comments
Our analysis:
- This article was published on the web site of the DAT Manufacturers Group that includes the two last makers of DAT drives, HP and Quantum, and four media makers (Fujifilm, Maxell, Sony and TDK). In fact, for the last DAT160, we suspect that HP is the only manufacturer with Quantum as an OEM.
- The author of the complete report, Robert Amatruda, IDC research director for tape and removable storage, didn't include at all half-height LTO tape drives into the low-end category. That's his choice.
- From 2006 to 2007, the unit shipments of DDS/DAT decrease 23%.
- Roadmap: currently at native 80GB capacity with the DAT 160, next step will be 150GB and then 300GB with approximately two years per generation.
Subscribe to our free daily newsletter
