Which company invented the hard disk drive?

In 1953, IBM invented the hard disk drive at its San Jose, California lab, after exploring various technologies such as wire matrices and rod arrays. Initially known as a “Random Access File,” the hard disk drive proved to be a game-changer in data storage. It was more cost-effective than drum memory and faster than tape drives, although slightly slower.

The first commercial hard disk drive was part of the IBM 305 RAMAC system introduced in 1956. It featured the IBM Model 350 disk storage unit, offering a groundbreaking 5MB of storage at a whopping $10,000 per MB. Customers at the time paid over $3,200 per month for access and storage, as IBM leased its systems instead of selling them.

With each generation of RAMAC drives, capacity doubled, marking significant advancements in data storage technology. The IBM 305 RAMAC, consisting of 50 24-inch disk platters in a boxy cabinet, paved the way for modern data storage systems, revolutionizing data access from sequential to random.

Despite its bulky appearance compared to today’s compact disk drives, the IBM 305 RAMAC was a pivotal moment in computing history. It enabled industries like banking, airlines, and government agencies to manage vast amounts of data more efficiently, setting the stage for real-time data processing.