What did early computers use for fast read/write storage? Surprisingly, drum memory–a similar technology to a modern hard drive–first appeared in 1932 for use with punched card machines.

The IBM 350, the world's first hard disk, was released in 1956. As the RAMAC computer's memory, it had space for 3.75 ...

In contrast, other data storage media such as hard disks, CDs, DVDs and magnetic tape, as well as early primary memory types such as drum memory, read and write data only in a predetermined order ...