magneetlint

Magneetlint, also known as magnetic tape, is a data storage medium that records data on a magnetized ribbon of plastic. The tape is typically coated with a magnetic material, such as iron oxide or chromium dioxide, and is housed in a protective casing. Data is written to and read from the tape by a magnetic tape drive, which uses a read/write head to magnetize or sense the magnetic orientation of tiny particles on the tape's surface.

Historically, magneetlint was a primary method for storing large amounts of data, particularly for backups and archiving. Its advantages included low cost per gigabyte and high storage capacity for its time. However, its sequential access nature, meaning data must be read in order from the beginning of the tape, made it slower for retrieving specific files compared to random-access storage like hard drives.

While its use for primary data storage has largely been superseded by other technologies, magneetlint remains relevant for long-term archiving and disaster recovery due to its durability and cost-effectiveness for massive data volumes. Modern tape drives and cartridges offer significant capacity and improved performance, allowing for terabytes of data to be stored on a single tape. The technology continues to evolve, with ongoing research and development focused on increasing density and speed.