Definition

DASD (direct access storage device)

DASD, pronounced DAZ-dee (Direct access storage device), is a general term for magnetic disk storage devices. The term has historically been used in the mainframe and minicomputer (mid-range computer) environments and is sometimes used to refer to hard disk drives for personal computers. A redundant array of independent disks (RAID) is also a type of DASD.

The "direct access" means that all data can be accessed directly in about the same amount of time rather than having to progress sequentially through the data.

Contributor(s): Maury Smith
This was last updated in October 2006
Posted by: Margaret Rouse

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