Which of the following statements about tape storage is NOT true?

Introduction / Context:
Magnetic tape is one of the oldest forms of computer data storage and is still used for large scale backups and archival purposes. Tape has very different performance characteristics from disk drives and solid state storage. In particular, it is known for sequential access rather than fast random access. This question asks you to identify which statement about tape storage is not true, focusing on how data is accessed on tape.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The medium described is magnetic tape used for computer storage.
• Statement A says a benefit of tape is nonsequential or random access.
• Statement B says a benefit of tape is sequential access.
• Options allow you to choose which statements are correct or whether none are wrong.
• We assume standard tape drives used for backups.

Concept / Approach:
Tape storage is characterised by sequential access: the tape drive must move the tape past the read write heads to reach the desired position. This is efficient for streaming large amounts of data in order, such as full backups, but it is slow for random access to individual records. In contrast, disks and solid state drives provide faster random access because they can jump directly to specific blocks. Therefore, claiming that a benefit of tape is nonsequential or random access is incorrect. Tape's true benefit is cost effective sequential storage, not random access speed.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall tape access characteristics. Tape is a linear medium where data is stored in order along the length of the tape. Step 2: Evaluate statement A. Statement A suggests that tape provides nonsequential or random access quickly, which contradicts the linear nature of tape; this is not a benefit of tape. Step 3: Evaluate statement B. Sequential access is a natural property of tape, and tape drives are efficient at reading and writing long, continuous data streams. Step 4: Decide which statement is not true. Because random access is actually a weakness, not a benefit, statement A is the incorrect statement. Step 5: Eliminate options that treat both statements as benefits.

Verification / Alternative check:
Storage technology references describe tape as a sequential access medium. To read data near the end of the tape, the drive must wind past all earlier data, which takes time. This is why tape is used for backup and archival jobs that read and write large volumes of data in order, but not for workloads that need frequent random reads and writes. Disks and solid state drives are recommended for random access workloads. No credible source lists random access as a benefit of tape storage. This confirms that statement A is not true, while statement B accurately describes tape behaviour.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B (Sequential access as a benefit): This is true because tape excels at streaming large sequential backups. Option C (Both statement A and statement B are correct): Incorrect because statement A misrepresents tape's capabilities. Option D (None of the above): Incorrect because at least one statement, namely A, is clearly not true.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes assume that all modern storage must provide good random access, so they think nonsequential access is always a benefit. Exam setters exploit this by including attractive but incorrect statements about tape. Another pitfall is not distinguishing between what tape can technically do and what it does well. While it is technically possible to seek to different positions on tape, this is slow and not considered a benefit. To answer correctly, focus on the fact that tape is a sequential access medium and that fast random access is a feature of disks and solid state storage, not tape.

Final Answer:
The statement that is not true about tape storage is “A benefit of tape is that it allows for nonsequential (random) access to any data block quickly”.