HP’s Data Storage Evolution

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With the ever-expanding use of computers came an ever-increasing need to store the information they processed and transfer it from one device to another. From magnetic tapes to cloud computing, Hewlett-Packard ensured that the evolution of storage media kept up with the need for it. The company also pursued the continuing evolution of computer networking to ensure that transmitting data among devices was always as fast, seamless and cost-effective as the state of the art allowed.

A woman goes through rows of magnetic tape reels in a storage room.
Magnetic Tapes: An Attractive Solution
Front of the HP 9855M floppy disk drive.
Enter the Floppy Disk: The 9855M
Photo of the HP 2000 DAT PC backup system and storage media.
Shrinking a Backup System: HP DAT PC
A woman working on the Comsys system used to communicate with HP facilities all over the globe in 1974.
Comsys: You’ve Got Electronic Mail
HP 82161 Digital Cassette Drive with cassette, packaging and owner's manual.
A Cassette Deck: HP 82161
Photo of the HP 3950, Hewlett-Packard's first magnetic tape recording system.
Roll Tape: HP 3950 Recording System
Man works on the SC4400 magnetic tape recorder.
HP Enters Computer Storage Market
Photo of the top and two sides of the HP 7910 disk drive.
HP’s First Winchester Drive: The 7910
Photo of the HP 2100 computer system featuring the 7900 disc drive on the top right.
Making Memories: 7900 and 7970 Drives
Visitors at the G-Cloud technology demonstrator in HP's Bristol, England, facility in 2010.
Cloud Covered: HP Labs G-Cloud Demo
Front of the NetServer LM 4/33.
Next Up: NetServer Networked Computers
HP Moonshot 1500 server rack with one cartridge pulled out for display.
The Miracle of Moonshot
Photo of the front of the HP 9145A tape drive.
The HP 9145A: Backups in a Flash
Photo of the HP 7980A data backup system with a typed product description underneath from 1988.
A Really Small Reel: The HP 7980A
HP system with 9145 tape drive, 3000 Micro XE, 7963B disk drive, 6400 model 1300 tape drive & A2657A Interface Drive.
Shuffling the System: Modular Systems
Photo of the HP 9737 Storage Disk Drive.
A Quick Drive: HP 9737
A photo demonstrating how multiple 7963 drives could be integrated modularly for increased data storage.
Time for Some Upgrades: HP 7963
Motor for the 7937 disk drive and ventilation fan.
A Big Motor: 7937 Disk Drive
HP's Digital-Data-Storage Data-Compressed Digital Audio Tape system with a drive and digital tape showcased in front.
Compression Rating: HP DDS-DC DAT
Front of the HP B6200 48TB StoreOnce Backup System.
Smart Storage: StoreOnce
Front of the HP 9121 3.5-inch floppy disk drive.
The 3.5″ Floppy Disk: HP 9121
The Hewlett-Packard Fiber Optic Link disk array product with one SCSI-2 disk drive removed.
Great Optics: HP Fiber Optic Link