Irwin Magnetic Systems, Inc., also known as Irwin Magnetics, was a computer storage manufacturer active from 1979 to 1989 and based in

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

. It was founded by Samuel Irwin in 1979 as Irwin International, Inc. The company's primary export was

magnetic tape data storage Magnetic-tape data storage is a system for storing digital information on magnetic tape using digital recording. Tape was an important medium for primary data storage in early computers, typically using large open reels of 7-track, later ...

and

backup In information technology, a backup, or data backup is a copy of computer data taken and stored elsewhere so that it may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb form, referring to the process of doing so, is "wikt:back ...

systems for personal computers. Irwin was one of the first companies to manufacture

quarter-inch cartridge Quarter inch cartridge tape (abbreviated QIC, commonly pronounced "quick") is a magnetic tape data storage format introduced by 3M in 1972, with derivatives still in use as of 2016. QIC comes in a rugged enclosed package of aluminum and plastic ...

(QIC) systems for the personal computer market. In 1989, the company was acquired by

Cipher Data Products Cipher Data Products, Inc., was an American computer company based in San Diego, California, and active from 1968 to 1992. The company was once a leading manufacturer of magnetic-tape data drives and media for minicomputers, becoming a pioneer in ...

History

Irwin Magnetic Systems was founded in 1979 as Irwin International, Inc., by Samuel Irwin. Irwin International spent the first few years of its existence developing a QIC–style

system, but the company was unable to develop a viable product. In July 1983, Samuel Irwin transferred the assets of Irwin International into a separate holding company, Irwin Magnetic Systems. Unlike its predecessor, Irwin Magnetics was able to successfully develop a microcomputer tape system to market. Called the Irwin Backup, this system made use of 3M's

DC100 DC100 (also known as DC100A) is a tape cartridge format that was co-developed by Hewlett-Packard and 3M. Introduced in mid-1976, it was developed as a data storage mechanism for the HP 9820 programmable calculator. The DC100 tape cartridge was a ...

tape format and was primarily intended as a means of backing up data. The Irwin was a commercial success, and the company soon inked deals with

Compaq Compaq Computer Corporation was an American information technology, information technology company founded in 1982 that developed, sold, and supported computers and related products and services. Compaq produced some of the first IBM PC compati ...

and NCR, personal computer manufacturers who resold the drives as value-adds for their machines. A few years later, Irwin introduced the AccuTrak, based on the then-common DC2000 tape cartridge format and featuring a proprietary embedded servo to increase data density. Initially sold exclusively for

Macintosh Mac is a brand of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 1984. The name is short for Macintosh (its official name until 1999), a reference to the McIntosh (apple), McIntosh apple. The current product lineup inclu ...

computers, Irwin eventually released it for

IBM PCs The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible ''de facto'' standard. Released on August 12, 1981, it was created by a ...

and compatibles, earning design wins from PC manufactures such as Compaq,

Hewlett-Packard The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company. It was founded by Bill Hewlett and David Packard in 1939 in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California ...

, and

IBM International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...

, the latter of which sold them as an optional for their Personal System/2 (PS/2) line of PCs. At its height in the mid-1980s, Irwin Magnetics employed 600 people in Ann Arbor. The company went public in 1986. In 1988, the company acquired

Kennedy Company Kennedy Company, often shortened to Kennedy Co., was an American computer storage company active from 1963 to 1988. Founded by Charles J. Kennedy (1920–1996) and based in the Greater Los Angeles area, the company was one of the largest independ ...

, a prolific tape drive manufacturer for minicomputer systems, from Shugart Corporation for an undisclosed amount. In 1989, Irwin was acquired by

for US$77 million. Cipher was in turn acquired by Archive Corporation a year later. Archive maintained Irwin as an independent brand for a while after the acquisition.

Noteworthy products

* EzTape – backup and restore software * AccuTrak Plus – 120-MB and 250-MB

tape drive A tape drive is a data storage device that reads and writes data on a magnetic tape. Magnetic-tape data storage is typically used for offline, archival data storage. Tape media generally has a favorable unit cost and long archival stability. ...

References

{{reflist 1979 establishments in Michigan 1989 disestablishments in Michigan 1989 mergers and acquisitions American companies established in 1979 American companies disestablished in 1989 Companies based in Ann Arbor, Michigan Computer companies established in 1979 Computer companies disestablished in 1989 Defunct computer companies of the United States Defunct computer hardware companies Tape-based computer storage