The Role of the DAT MGM

The stated goal of all members of the DAT Manufacturers Group continues to be the provision of an open standard tape technology, based on joint agreement and compliance testing to meet user’s needs for reliable data protection with guaranteed interchange.

Who are members of the DATMGM today?
The DDS/DAT Manufacturers’ Group is made up of well-known tape drive and tape media manufacturers. They are:

DRIVE Manufacturers:
Note: Certance was acquired by Quantum Corp in January 2005. see: http://www.quantum.com/am/news/releases/01-05-2005.htm
MEDIA Manufacturers:

The DATMGM role includes:

 Involvement in the Drive Licensing Process
 Involvement in the Drive Format Compliance Test Plans
 Involvement in the Compliance Test Process
 Involvement in the Media Licensing Process
 Involvement in the Media Compliance Testing
 Involvement in the Verification (Logo) Process
 Involvement in technology roadmap steps

Who is eligible for a DDS/DAT License?
Licenses to manufacture DDS/DAT format tape drives or tapes are available at reasonable cost to anyone who is interested. There are no restrictions other than full compliance with the conditions of the license. This is truly an open standard.

How do I know that my vendor has really passed the Manufacturers’ Group tests?
If you have any concerns, your vendor should be able to provide you with a copy of their Grant Letter from the Tester (i.e. HP). In addition all compliant products will be listed on the DDS/DAT Manufacturers’ Group website at: www.datmgm.com

Who is the effective ‘owner’ of the format and who is responsible for granting licenses to the other participants in the industry?
The DAT160 logo, the DAT72 logo and the ‘essential’ patents required for both formats were developed and owned by Hewlett-Packard Co. HP effectively grants the licenses.

What is to stop a vendor claiming compliance when they have not been through the process?
It is very questionable why anyone would want to do this as the risk associated is very high. In addition to potential problems caused by lack of interchange, if a vendor did not go through the compliance process they would not be granted use of the logo and the essential IP under license from HP. Improper use of the compliance logo could imply legal issues. Self-compliance forms a major element of the DATMGM processes and it is difficult to see why anyone would think it necessary to contravene the spirit of the group. The DATMGM processes have worked successfully for 14 or more years and it is the compliance position that has made DDS/DAT successful as an open standard in the tape market.