Magnetic Tape

Magnetic tape is a type of storage media.

It is widely used to back up computer data. For example, magnetic drives are often connected to a network, so when things are quiet, such as over night, the drives back up all the data onto tape catridges. Then in the morning, a technician swaps the tape for a fresh one. Perhaps keeping the last seven days, then using the oldest one the next day.

Magnetic tape is a type of sequential data storage media. You can only get to data by winding through the tape. Because of this, it is very slow compared to say, a hard disk - but it is very cheap and reliable - perfect for large scale backups.

The tape is made of a flexible plastic strip that has been coated with magnetic material.

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2020-10

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