DECtape and Microtape: Remains of Traditional Storage Media

During the early days of digital computing, storage technology was one of the most important avenues each developer had to go through as they required ways to reliably store data and retrieve it when needed. One of the more interesting solutions from that era was DECtape, a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) medium first developed in the 1960s and later improved into Microtape and DECtape II. While such technologies may appear mundane today, they were essential to the development of early computing where they provided a reliable, reusable storage device that guided subsequent developments in data storage for many years.

What Is DECtape?

DECtape, which was introduced as a magnetic tape storage type, was initially called (because of the Laboratory Instrument Computer) "LINCtape". DECtape was a magnetic tape storage system known for its durability and flexibility (systems that use typical magnetic tapes, where the data is encoded in only one side of the tape, offer a sequential write-once storage at low cost). The tape was organized in separate blocks so a user could read and write specific portions of the data without needing to reuse the entire thing. By allowing random access through the block-based system, DECtape was considerably faster and more convenient than any other storage technology in the 1960s.

The DECtape units were fairly small and contained reels of magnetic tape with a playback length of approximately 260 feet. The tape could save as much as 184 KB- a lot back in those days. Its durability and reusability made DECtape highly suitalble for programming, data storage and data backup. In addition to being these capabilities and others, DECtape could be mounted on multiple different DEC hardware devices/working systems, so it was widely utilized in a variety of institutional and exploratory configurations.

Microtape: An even smaller sucessor

Later on, DEC invented a smaller storage medium called Microtape, which was to follow on from DECtape. The new tape was called the 3480 and it shrunk those storage units down to a size that more easily fit into the adjacent shipping container. Microtape was developed for lesser capability computing systems, providing block-style random access (as with DECtape), but in a compact form factor suitable to personal or departmental use. Microtape retained the critical durability and reusability that made DECtape a staple for users who needed more rugged storage, even as its capacity paled compared to DECtape (though Microtape addressed these needs by appealing to users seeking small, ready-at-hand storage).

DECtape II: The Improved Version

DECtape II was the last of DEC's tape storage developments. It brought higher storage, faster read/write speeds and was a nice step up. DECtape II had more data storage capacity through the use of improved magnetic coating technology than previous models. Not only did DECtape II use quicker data access methods but the medium got slightly more durable as well, showing less signs of tape ware and keeping its life time open even further enhancing the possibilities for DECtape to remain in the line-up for high performance environments. It was also backward-compatible with DEC's newer computers, making it an attractive step-up path to individuals and organizations that were already familiar with the earlier incarnations.

DECtape Technologies: Legacy and Impact

DECtape series introduced some of the concepts for future storage systems. DECtape and its follow-ons demonstrated that magnetic tape could provide strength and versatility for data storage, as they stored more than just a long-term sequential backup. Although storage has progressed to a stage of small, fast blob-ette SSD drives taking over, DECtape, Microtape and the later DECtape II were fundamental in showing that accessibility, reusability and integrity are important features. The era saw these systems have redefined the scope of researchers and organizations in terms of how efficiently data can be managed, eventually leading to groundbreaking innovations in such data storage solutions.

DEC's tape storage technology may seem antiquated today, but its principles are still applicable. When we examine the past, DECtape was a contributor to storage invention that helped define computing in its era and lessons that shaped data management and storage as we know it – today.