Homonym: random access (Memory)
Random access refers to the ability to access data at any location in a storage medium without having to read through other data sequentially. This means that a computer can quickly retrieve or modify information stored in memory, such as in RAM or on a hard drive, without waiting for previous data to be processed.
In contrast to sequential access, where data must be read in order, random access allows for faster data retrieval. This is particularly important for applications that require quick access to large amounts of information, such as databases and multimedia files, enhancing overall system performance.