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Storage devices and media
Storage devices are devices that are used to hold data
even when the computer is turned off. ” it let you to
store data on the medium and read data from it.”
Storage medium is the part that holds the data.
Backing storage devices are some devices out side the main
computer that can be used to store data.
Backup copy is to take a copy of data used to keep the data
safe and can be in the same computer and even the same disk.
Why back up data?
1. Data could be lost due to failure of the original storage
device.
2. Hackers could be responsible for the corruption or even
loss of data.
3. Backups are also made in case the files need to be used
elsewhere.
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Common storage media and devices
There are three different types of storage devices and each one
stores the data in a different way:
Magnetic storage media
hold the data magnetically. Tiny areas on the surface of the media
can be magnetized in different ways and these stores bits in codes
that represent characters. If the device can read the medium then the
tiny magnetized areas can be turned back in to codes which the
computer can use.
Optical storage media
store data on their surface by little pits burnt by a laser can the be
shone onto the surface more gently and where it hits the pits, the
reflection is different to that coming from a flat surface, these
differences can be used to store codes for characters.
Solid-state storage media
has no moving parts and fits directly into the computer. The device
and the medium are the same thing
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Common storage media and devices
Magnetic storage media
1. Hard Drives
• Fixed Hard Drive
• Portable Hard Drive
2. Magnetic Tape
3. Removable Media Magnetic Discs
• Floppy Disc
• Zip Disc
• Jaz Disc
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The structure of hard disk storage:
• A hard disk drive consists of several platters (individual disks) with
each side (surface) of the platter (top and bottom) having its own read-
write head.
• The read-write heads move across the platters when they stop, they
either read data from or write data to the surface.
• They never touch the disk surface and each surface is used to store data.
• The platters are stacked one above the other and spin together at the
same speed.
• Each surface is divided into several tracks and each track is divided into
sectors.
• The track on the top platter together with the tracks exactly below it,
• Data
form aiscylinder.
written to the platters starting with
the outside track.
• When a cylinder has been filled with data,
the read-write heads move toward the
centre of the disk.
The structure of hard disk storage:
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Magnetic storage media
Fixed hard disk
Uses
1. store the operating system and working data.
2. storing applications software that needs fast
retrieval and storage of data.
3. They are used in file servers for computer
networks.
Advantages
1. They have a very fast data transfer rate and fast
access times to data.
2. They have very large memory capacities.
Disadvantages
1. They can be fairly easily damaged (e.g. if the
correct shut-down procedure on a laptop computer
has not been correctly carried out and the
computer is then moved).
2. They lack portability unless a portable hard disk
drive is .
Common storage media and devices
● Data transfer rate is the rate at which data can be sent from a
storage device to a computer (or vice versa).
● Data access time is the time it takes to locate specific data stored
on the storage media.
● Latency is defined as the time it takes for a specific block of data
on a data track to rotate around to the read/write head)
Why do we use hard disks as main storage?
Because:
1. They can store very large amounts of data.
2. Access to the data is fast.
3. There is no limit to the number of times they can delete data and
the reuse the medium
Hard disk used to store three types of data:
1. The operating system
2. Users applications
3. Users data
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Common storage media and devices
Portable hard disks
Uses
1. Portable hard disks can be used as back-up
systems to prevent loss of data.
2. They can be used to transfer data, files and
software between computers.
Advantages
1. The data access time and data transfer rate is
very fast.
2. They have large memory capacities.
3. They can be used as a method of transferring
information between computers.
Disadvantages
1. As with fixed drives, a portable hard disk can
be easily damaged if the user accidentally
drops it or does not shut it down correctly
after use.
Common storage media and devices
Magnetic Tapes.
There are two ways to store data on it
Serial storage is storing data one piece after other
Sequential storage arrange the data in some sort of order
Uses
1. Magnetic tapes are used in applications where batch processing
is used.
2. They are used as a back-up media since all the data needs to be
stored.
Advantages
1. They are generally less expensive than the equivalent-capacity
hard disk.
2. It is a very robust technology.
3. The data transfer rate is fast.
Disadvantages
1. Access time is very slow.
2. When updating, another tape is needed (i.e. original tape + tape
with the changes produces an updated tape).
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Optical Storage Media
CD (Compact Disc) DVD(digital versatile disc)-(ROM)
Uses
1. CD-ROMs are used by manufacturers to store music files
and software, computer games and reference software
(such as an encyclopedia).
2. DVD-ROMs have much larger storage capacity than CD-
ROMs and are used to store films. They are now
increasingly used to store computer data and ever-more
sophisticated computer and arcade games.
Advantages
1. They are less expensive than hard disk drive systems.
Disadvantages
1. The data transfer rate and data access time are slower than
for hard disks.
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Optical Storage Media
CD-R and DVD-R
Uses
1. They are used for home recordings of music (CD-Rs)
and films (DVD-Rs).
2. They are used to store data to be kept for later use or to
be transferred to another computer.
3. They are used in applications where it is necessary to
prevent the deletion or over-writing of important data).
Advantages
1. CD-Rs and DVD-Rs are cheaper than RW disks.
2. Once burned (and finalized), they are like ROM disks.
Disadvantages
1. They can only be recorded once, so if an error occurs
then the disk has to be thrown away.
2. Not all CD/DVD players can read CD-R/DVD-R.
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Optical Storage Media
CD-RW and DVD-RW
Uses
1. CD-RWs and DVD-RWs are used to record radio and
television programs, but can be recorded over time and
time again.
Advantages
1. CD-RWs and DVD-RWs can be re-used many times.
2. They can use different file formats each time they are used.
3. The RW format is not as wasteful as the R format since
files or data can be added at a later stage.
Disadvantages
1. CD-RWs and DVD-RWs can be relatively expensive
media.
2. It is possible to accidentally overwrite data.
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Optical Storage Media
Blu-ray disks
Uses
1. Blu-ray disks are used in home video consoles.
2. They are used for storing and playing back films: 1 high-definition film
of two hours duration uses 25 Gbyte of memory.
3. PCs can use this technology for data storage or backing up hard drives.
4. Camcorders can use this media (in cartridge form) to store film footage.
Advantages
1. They have a very large storage capacity, and so are ideal for storing
high definition films.
2. The data transfer rate is very fast.
3. The data access speed is also greater than with other optical media.
Disadvantages
1. The disks are relatively expensive .
2. blu-ray systems still have encryption problems when used to store
video.
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Optical Storage Media
Feature s
1. relies on optical/light properties of laser light
2. laser is used to read/write data on disk
3. data is stored in lands and pits
4. uses red or blue laser light.
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Solid State Media:
• Any memory device with no moving parts and are based on
electronic circuits.
• SSD technology is known as 'flash memory' and this is the
smallest form of data storage.
• They store data as 1’s and 0’s within millions of electrical
transistors instead of on films of magnetic substance or as dots
on discs.
They hold several advantages over Magnetic Disc Drives:
1. Much smaller
2. Use less power (no moving parts means less power needed)
3. Faster data access and transfer times
4. Much more robust (harder to damage)
Disadvantage
SSD endurance: Over a three-year timeframe, solid-state storage
systems are rated at only 20 GB of write operations per day.
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Examples of Solid State Media
Solid State Hard Drives
Memory Stick / Pen Drive
Flash Memory Cards
Micro Flash Memory Cards
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Solid State Hard Drives (SSD's) .
Used in desktop PC's and laptops in place of magnetic hard
disk drives to permanently store data such as.
• Operating systems
• Software applications
• Music/Video files
• School work, photos
Advantages Disadvantages
Last longer than magnetic hard disks Smaller storage capacity than
(no moving parts). magnetic hard disks.
Faster data access/transfer times. More expensive than magnetic
hard disks.
Use less power and produce less heat.
Run silently.
Time to because of no moving parts, they are SSD endurance
start up very thin
They do not have to ‘get up to speed’
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Solid State Hard Drives (SSD) & Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
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Memory Sticks / Pen Drives .
• Used for easily transporting files/data between computers.
• Used for backing up data quickly and easily.
• Used as a security device to prevent software piracy
(known as a dongle).
Advantages Disadvantages
Very small and lightweight (portable). No write-protect feature . This
means that it is possible to
accidentally copy over data
Robust - no moving parts means they are Small physical size means that they
less likely to become damaged. are easy to misplace or lose
For example: CD's and DVD's can get
scratched.
Compatible with almost any computer. More expensive per GB than
(most computers have USB ports) magnetic hard disks.
Large storage capacities (up to 512 GB)
Memory sticks are very cheap to buy.
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Flash Memory Cards (and Micro Flash Memory Cards)
1. SD cards (secure digital card)
2. XD cards (extreme digital card)
3. CFast card (compact fast card)
SD cards
● Is a type of very small card with a very high-capacity memory. SD cards are
primarily used in portable devices such as digital video recorders, digital
cameras, audio players, smartphones and tablets.
● There are smaller Mini SD cards and Micro SD cards
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Flash Memory Cards (and Micro Flash Memory Cards)
1. SD cards (secure digital card)
2. XD cards (extreme digital card)
3. CFast card (compact fast card)
XD cards
● Is a type of removable memory card designed for use in digital cameras. They
can be written to or read from the camera or other suitable
CFast card
● is a type of memory card offering super fast speed and high storage capacity
and used for professional camera use such as broadcasting, video production
and film-making
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Flash Memory Cards (and Micro Flash Memory Cards)
These are a form of Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
(EEPROM).
1. SD cards are used to store photos on digital cameras.
2. SD cards are used in handheld devices (like PDA and palmtop) to store files
and data.
3. Micro SD cards are used in mobile phones as memory cards to store photos
and music etc.
4. Micro SD cards can be used by MP3 players to store music files
Advantages Disadvantages
Very small so they are easy to More expensive per GB than
transport files. magnetic hard disk drives.
Robust and not easily damaged. Lower storage capacity than
magnetic hard disks.
Easy to connect to mobile devices Small size makes them easy to have
through SD Slots stolen or lose.
Desktop PC's don't usually come
with built-in memory card readers.
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