The computer's storage media prior to solid state drives (SSDs). Magnetic tape and disks were developed in the 1950s and commonly used together in companies for decades. Tape was the primary medium because early data processing was sequential. Files were maintained in account number sequence, and updates were sorted into that order to be matched sequentially (see
batch processing). When disks were invented, files could be updated randomly. They were initially used for records that needed to be kept up-to-date at all times. See
transaction processing.
For years, magnetic tapes were used for backup and archival storage, and tape libraries with robotic mechanisms were found in large enterprises. In the 1980s and 1990s, small tape drives were used for desktop computer backup but were eclipsed by Zip disks and other magnetic media. After the turn of the century, optical media (CD-R, DVD-R) became popular for personal computer backup, but they all gave way to USB storage (see
USB drive). See
optical disc.
The Future - Solid State
Although a few old systems may exist in companies, except for LTO, magnetic tape technology is long gone (see
LTO). In time, magnetic disks will be as obsolete as punch cards, but it may take a while because disks are also improving. However, considering the magical technology within solid state chips, hunks of metal and plastic whirling around a jackhammer-like read/write head are rather archaic by comparison. See
magnetic disk,
magnetic tape,
optical disc,
HSM and
early direct access devices.