REV (disk)

REV, often standing for Removable Encrypted Volume, describes a type of removable disk drive technology developed by Iomega. Introduced as a successor to the Zip drive, REV aimed to provide higher capacity and improved reliability for data backup and archiving.

REV drives utilized a single platter cartridge that was enclosed within a protective shell. This cartridge housed the magnetic media used for data storage. The drive mechanism read and wrote data to this media. Key characteristics of REV drives included their removable nature, allowing for easy portability and off-site storage of data.

Although REV offered advantages in terms of capacity compared to some previous removable storage solutions, it ultimately faced competition from other technologies such as recordable DVDs and, later, external hard drives and flash memory. Its higher cost and limited adoption contributed to its eventual discontinuation. While no longer widely used, REV remains a notable example of removable storage technology from the early 2000s.