IBM 3850

The IBM 3850 Mass Storage System (MSS), introduced in 1974, was an automated tape library developed by IBM. It was a significant advancement in data storage technology, providing a large-capacity, nearline storage solution. The 3850 was designed to automatically retrieve and mount tape cartridges, significantly reducing the need for manual intervention and improving data access times compared to traditional tape libraries.

The system consisted of a honeycomb-like storage cell, a mechanical accessor, and controllers. Data was stored on cartridges containing magnetic tape, each holding a substantial amount of data for its time. The accessor, a robotic arm, moved within the storage cell to retrieve and mount the requested cartridges onto tape drives.

The IBM 3850 was primarily used with IBM System/370 mainframe computers. It provided a way to manage and access large amounts of data, offering a bridge between expensive online disk storage and slower offline tape storage. The system was particularly well-suited for applications such as archiving, disaster recovery, and data warehousing.

The IBM 3850 became an important part of data centers needing large-scale storage solutions. It was eventually succeeded by newer technologies, but it represents a crucial step in the evolution of automated tape libraries and hierarchical storage management systems. Its innovative design and capacity made it a notable product in IBM's history of data storage solutions.