3.3 - data storage 💾💽 Flashcards
what groups can memory and storage methods be sorted into?
primary memory (directly-accessible components like the RAM and ROM) and secondary storage (indirectly-accessible components like SSDs, USBs, and DVDs)
how does device RAM work?
it temporarily stores data currently in use, can be increased in size to speed device performance up, and is volatile
what forms does device RAM come in?
DRAM (dynamic so needs to be refreshed often but is cheap to manufacture and high in capacity anyways) and SRAM (static so doesn’t need to be refreshed often and uses bit-holding flip-flops)
how does device ROM work?
it permanently stores read-only bootstraps and is non-volatile
how do HDDs store data?
on the tracks of sectors of their platters’ magnetic surfaces - this method of data storage can cause fragmentations that worsen HDD latency over time due to HDDs containing moving parts
how do SSDs store data?
in their teeny-tiny floating/control gate transistors via electron movement control - this method of data storage reduces latency-related headaches due to SSDs containing zero moving parts (allowing for consistent data retrieval rates) and also makes them lighter
where can SSD tech be found IRL?
in newer cloud storage devices/laptops, flash drives, and software DRM dongles
how do optical discs store data?
within a spiral track of pits and lands that can have data read from by lasers (DVDs add to this by means of dual-layering with polycarbonate while BDs have a secure encryption system within them as well and can be either single- or dual-layered)
how are Blu-rays better than DVDs?
they’ve got more storage capacity so can be used to distribute HD/4K movies and also allow for greater interactivity
what does virtual memory do to a device?
it takes over the job of device RAM when it’s being overutilized to give the impression that a device’s got tons of memory even when its physical memory’s very small and also allow for quicker data block paging with the secondary storage
what could happen if an HDD’s used for virtual memory?
the HDD could get thrashed at a set thrash point where there’s too much memory paging and not enough execution leading to its premature failure
when does data redundancy occur?
when two copies of a file are stored on separate cloud servers to make the file itself accessible at all times
what benefits can cloud storage bring?
it allows for people with internet connections to access files stored on the cloud anytime and anywhere without the need for external storage devices and also for data backups in the event of HDD/SSD failure
how can cloud storage be problematic?
it may be inaccessible on slower internet connections and can also be at risk of being permanently lost to time in the event of bankruptcy
