Write-Once, Read-Many

What Does Write-Once, Read-Many Mean?

Write-Once, Read-Many (WORM) is a data storage technology mechanism that stores unerasable and/or unmodifiable information after it has been written on a drive. The data is stored on WORM devices. These device disks store data in a non-rewritable format to prevent users from accidentally erasing or altering sensitive information.

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WORM is also known as Write Once, Run Anywhere (WORA).

Techopedia Explains Write-Once, Read-Many

Created in the late 1970s, a WORM device is a type of optical media commonly used for archiving information or hosting data archives. This useful data is written on a disk only once, which is useful because archive creators or gatekeepers typically seek information that has not been altered or modified from the original source.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…