Storage Management Strategies for the CIO
DVD-RAM is a DVD (optical disc) technology for high-capacity data storage for computers. Like ordinary random access memory (RAM), it can be repeatedly read, written to, and erased. Intended mostly for removable computer storage, DVD-RAM provides the capabilities of Rewriteable CD (CD-RW) - users can run programs from the discs, copy files to them and rewrite or delete them. However, with a storage capacity of up to 9.4 gigabytes (GB) per double-sided disc, DVD-RAM has many times the capacity of CD-RW.
DVD-RAM discs can be rewritten 100,000 times, 100 times more than either DVD-RW or DVD+RW, the other two rewritable DVD formats. DVD-RAM drives can usually read both DVD Video discs and DVD-ROM discs, as well as any type of CD. Like other rewriteable DVD formats, DVD-RAM uses phase change recording, in which varying laser intensities cause targeted areas in the phase change recording layer to alternate between an amorphous and a crystalline state.