The RAMAC was truly revolutionary when it was introduced. Prior to this, computer data was stored on punched cards and magnetic tape. Cards that could accidentally be damaged or destroyed. Tape that couldn’t be accessed randomly. RAMAC was designed to overcome these limitations and change the way organizations thought about data—particularly accounting data.
Technology on display to the world
US Vice President Richard Nixon and USSR Premier Nikita Khrushchev are introduced to the 305 RAMAC at a trade fair in Moscow.
RAMAC movies and videos
Searching San Jose, The RAMAC Story
An IBM movie describing the team and the process that led to the invention of the RAMAC storage technology
Promotional video for the 305 RAMAC
An IBM movie explaining the technology and advantages of the RAMAC system
305 RAMAC revolutionized data storage
A movie from the IBM archives, highlighting some innovations that followed the 305 RAMAC
News story about the 50th anniversary of the 305 RAMAC
A San Jose news station takes a look at the 305 RAMAC fifty years after its introduction.
50 years of disk system innovation
A tongue-in-cheek look at the history of disk systems, starting with the 305 RAMAC