Sequential access memory: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:55, 11 July 2015

Revision as of 14:03, 23 October 2015

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{{Unreferenced|date=November 2007}}

In computing, '''[[sequential access]] [[computer memory|memory]]''' ('''SAM''') is a class of [[data storage device]]s that read stored data in a sequence. This is in contrast to [[random access memory]] (RAM) where data can be accessed in any order. Sequential access devices are usually a form of [[magnetic memorystorage]].

While sequential access memory is read in sequence, accesses can still be made to arbitrary locations by "seeking" to the requested ___location. This operation, however, is often relatively inefficient (see [[seek time]], [[rotational latency]]).