Native capacity is a term with two primary meanings: one in computing and data storage, and another in general usage referring to innate ability.
Computing and Data Storage
In computing, native capacity refers to the uncompressed storage capacity of a data storage medium, such as a hard disk drive, solid-state drive (SSD), or magnetic tape cartridge. It is the raw amount of data that a storage device can hold before any data compression is applied.
Many storage products, particularly tape cartridges, are commonly marketed and rated in terms of their compressed capacity, which typically assumes a 2:1 compression ratio. The native capacity is the baseline figure before such compression assumptions are applied. For example, a tape cartridge advertised as having a compressed capacity of 800 GB (assuming 2:1 compression) would have a native capacity of 400 GB.
The term is defined by PCMag as "the raw 'uncompressed' capacity of a storage device such as a disk drive, solid state drive (SSD) or magnetic tape cartridge."1 Wikipedia and HandWiki similarly define it as "the uncompressed storage capacity of any medium that is usually spoken of in compressed sizes."2
Examples
- LTO-5 tape cartridges have a native capacity of 1.5 TB and a compressed capacity of 3.0 TB (assuming 2:1 compression).
- IBM TS1140 tape drives offer a native capacity of 4 TB.
- DDS-3 (DAT) cartridges have a native capacity of 12 GB.
General Usage
Outside of computing, the phrase "native capacity" has historically been used to describe a person's innate or natural ability, talent, or intellectual endowment — that is, ability one is born with rather than acquired through education or training. This usage appears in older literary and philosophical texts. For instance, in Jane Austen's Emma, the character Mr. Knightley remarks of another character: "he does not appear to me to be particularly qualified for such a duty, either by native capacity, or, its substitute, education."3
In this sense, "native" means "belonging to a person by nature; innate" (as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary), and "capacity" refers to mental ability or aptitude.
References
- PCMag Encyclopedia, "Definition of native capacity." https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/47652/native-capacity
- HandWiki, "Native capacity." https://handwiki.org/wiki/Native_capacity
- The Free Dictionary, "Native capacity" (citing Jane Austen, Emma). https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Native+capacity
