In
data processing
Data processing is the collection and manipulation of digital data to produce meaningful information.
Data processing is a form of ''information processing'', which is the modification (processing) of information in any manner detectable by an ...
, a scratch tape is a
magnetic tape
Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic storage made of a thin, magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic film. It was developed in Germany in 1928, based on the earlier magnetic wire recording from Denmark. Devices that use magne ...
that is used for temporary storage and can be reused or erased after the completion of a job or processing run.
During the early years of computing, when magnetic tape was the primary form of mass storage, many programs, notably
sorting routines, required such temporary storage.
See also
*
Scratch space
Scratch space is space on the hard disk drive that is dedicated for storage of temporary user data. It is unreliable by intention and has no back up. Scratch disks may occasionally be set to erase all data at regular intervals so that the disk spac ...
– contemporary equivalent
*
Merge sorting tape drives – paradigm application
References
{{reflist
Computer storage tape media