non-destructive read

The 9000 series used plated wire memory, which functioned somewhat like core memory but used a non-destructive read.

As a consequence, the memory controller typically added a refresh cycle after each read cycle in order to create the illusion of a non-destructive read operation.

These performance advantages included, most significantly, the ability to read the state stored by the capacitor without discharging it, avoiding the need to write back what was read out (non-destructive read).

Phase-change memory has many near ideal memory qualities such as non-volatility, fast switching speed, high endurance of more than 10 read -write cycles, non-destructive read, direct overwriting and long data retention time of more than 10 years.