chapter 3:storage basics

Question 1

What are the computer storage devices?

Answer 1

computer’s hardware components that retain data after the power is turned off.

Question 2

How does the computer store data and program instructions?

Answer 2

Computer stored data and program instructions in a file.

Question 3

What is a file?

Answer 3

File is a collection of related information or program code that is given a unique name.

Question 4

What are the storage devices types?

Answer 4

There are two of storage devices type:
* Primary storage: which is the main memory or RAM.
* Secondary storage: which refers to devices can store data permanently

Question 5

Give four examples for secondary storage?

Answer 5

1. Hard drive 2. Flash drive
2. DVD 4. External hard drive

Question 6

What does BIOS stand for? And what is it?

Answer 6

BIOS is Basic Input Output System. it is a set of programs called firmware that tell the computer how to start up.

Question 7

Where does BIOS stored?

Answer 7

permanently stored in special memory chip called read-only memory (ROM)

Question 8

What does UEFI stand for?

Answer 8

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
which is used instead of BIOS.

Question 9

What is the difference between ROM and RAM?

Answer 9

ROM: is permanently storage which holds the startup instructions and configuration information for the computer. RAM: is temporary storage which holds the program instructions and data that are being used by the CPU.

Question 10

What is the difference between read-only and read and write storage devices? Give examples.

Answer 10

Read only: can only be read by media such as CD-R, CD-ROM
Read and write: can be read and write from/on media such as Hard Disk, CD-RW, DVD-RAM.

Question 11

What is the difference between Random and Sequential storage devices? Give examples.

Answer 11

Random: go direct to the needed information such as Hard Disk.
Sequential: scan from beginning until it finds the needed data such as Tape.

Question 12

How does the Magnetic and Optical storage devices work? Give examples.

Answer 12

Magnetic: work by a relay on magnetic field to read data such as Hard desk.
Optical: uses laser beams to read data has been stored on the reflective surface such as CD.

Question 13

What is the most common magnetic storage device?

Answer 13

Hard drive is the most common magnetic storage device and can be install in the computer.

Question 14

What are the internal and external storage?

Answer 14

Any storage device installed inside your computer called internal storage, if the position is outside the computer it called external storage device.

Question 15

What are platters?

Answer 15

Platters are a stack of metal disks that store information, and each platter is divided into tracks and each track is divided into segments called sectors. A cylinder is the same track location on all the platters.

Question 16

How does read/write head works?

Answer 16

Read/write head is a small needle-like component, and it travels back and forth across the surface of each platter to retrieve and store data.

Question 17

Describe the Hard Drives?

Answer 17

The performance of your hard drive directly affects how fast is your computer works
and it is measured by its access time.

Question 18

What is Data transfer rate?

Answer 18

Data transfer rate is a formation used to measure the speed of reading the information or the number of bits of data the device can transfer to memory or to another device in a single second.

Question 19

What is SSD?

Answer 19

SSD is Solid State Disk or drive and it is a mass storage device similar to Hard Disk Drive (HDD), SSD do not have any moving parts it stores data using flash memory, and it has better read performance because data do not fragment into many locations.

Question 20

Name two Optical storage devices?

Answer 20

Optical storage media such as CD-ROM and DVD-ROM devices are easy to transport and can store large amounts of information.

Question 21

How does the optical disk work?

Answer 21

Optical disk made up with three layers, a laser sensor tool housed inside the optical device and reads information, the surface of an optical disc stores data as series of lands and pits.

Question 22

What is the difference between land and pit?

Answer 22

Land: is a flat, reflective area on the surface of a disc. Pit: is an indented area on the surface disc that scatters the light from a laser’s sensor.

Question 23

What does USB stand for?

Answer 23

Universal Serial Bus.

Question 24

What is a cloud computing means?

Answer 24

Cloud computing uses the internet and central remote servers to host data and applications.

Question 25

What does virtualization mean?

Answer 25

When physical storage is pooled from multiple network storage devices into what seems to be one single storage devices managed from a central console it is called virtualization.

Question 26

Where does storage virtualization usually used?

Answer 26

storage virtualization is usually used in a storage area network (SAN), or a network of storage devices that can be accessed by multiple computers.