The fascinating story of Magnetic Tape
and how is still the most cost-effective, medium for high-capacity storage backup
It’s been almost 70 years since IBM, back in the early 50’s, perfected the way of of using Magnetic Tape to backup computer data and launched a machine called IBM 726. A ‘beast’ of 450 Kg. that could store just 2.3 Mb.
Magnetic recording on wire was introduced by Valdemar Poulsen at Paris World’s Fair in 1900 followed by many experiments of magnetic coated plastic tapes during the 30’s and 40’s.
But the first use of Magnetic Tape to record computer data came in 1950 with the UNISERVO I. It was the first digital tape recorder and supported forward and backwards modes, a great step forward, but wasn’t enough. To keep up with the ever growing need of speed, it had to start and stop the tape at high speed without breaking.
A transforming invention that solved the problem was a vacuum column that held the tape in place, kept the tape loops in proper shape and reduced the resistance that could tear the tape. Read the story from IBM here. The ferric oxide coated tape from IBM became the de facto industry standard.
A lot of innovation have been added since then to improve linear density, reduce tape width, increase data compression, etc.
Lots of large business use Magnetic Tape for data storage. Google as an example. In fact, if you where using Gmail in 2011, maybe it’s thanks to Magnetic Tape that you can still read your old emails. In February 2011 Google released a software update that caused 0.02% of Gmail users to lose their messages. They could restore all data only because they have a backup on tape.
Future of data storage is still Magnetic Tape. IBM and Fujifilm recently announced a new Magnetic Tape prototype based on strontium ferrite particles (SrFe) that improves densitiy to a whopping 317 GB per square inch, about 27 times the area density used in today’s commercial tape cartridges.
