Input, Output and Storage Devices

Question 1

What is an input devices?

Answer 1

A physical interface a user uses to control and interface with the computer e.g. mice, controllers

Question 2

What is an output device?

Answer 2

A device that converts computer language to a way that humans can understand and interpret e.g. speakers, monitors etc.

Question 3

What is a storage device?

Answer 3

A device that stores data in the form of binary code e.g. magnetic, digital and optical methods

Question 4

What is virtual storage?

Answer 4

A storage management method that uses abstraction of data as it is not stored on a person’s PC, but rather on a remote server that they can access through the internet from locations worldwide on large server farms

Question 5

What are the benefits of virtual storage?

Answer 5

• Cheaper option for storage
• Provides easier access to data
• Reduced hardware and resource costs
• Improves reliability and performance with free repairs
• Many larger companies provide better security than small businesses can provide
• Easier sharing with automatic backups

Question 6

What are the negatives to virtual storage?

Answer 6

• Deals with multiple vendors
• Makes upgrades harder
• Sometimes does not scale to some areas
• Data could be at risk as servers could be in countries without data protection laws

Question 7

What is ROM?

Answer 7

Read Only Memory is the storage used to hold the BIOS and boot strap to load up a computer. ROM is non-volatile and the user cannot write to it.

Question 8

What is RAM?

Answer 8

Random Access Memory is the temporary storage in a computer used for open applications, so they are readily available to the CPU when the user wants to use them, speeding up the computer. RAM is volatile

Question 9

What is optical storage?

Answer 9

When a laser is used to reflect off of a disc and the time taken for the reflection to rebound is either a 1 or a 0 (binary code)

Question 10

What is magnetic storage?

Answer 10

Made of either multiple platters or tape that used different levels of magnetism to act as binary code

Question 11

What is solid state storage?

Answer 11

Solid state storage is a storage device that can be written, read and deleted electronically, however there is a limit on the amount of times the data can be written on the device. This method is more robust than magnetic storage