Storage devices (Secondary storage) Flashcards
What is a storage device?
A storage device is the hardware that reads from and writes to different storage medias.
Storage devices are essential for data management in computer systems.
What type of storage do storage devices provide?
Storage devices provide non-volatile secondary storage that retains digital data within a computer system.
Non-volatile means that the data is retained even when the power is turned off.
What is the primary function of storage devices?
The primary function of storage devices is to store, access, and retrieve data.
This data can include software applications, documents, images, videos, and more.
List the three types of storage devices.
- Magnetic
- Solid State
- Optical
Each type of storage device has its own advantages and use cases.
What is magnetic storage?
Magnetic storage is a type of non-volatile media that uses magnets (polarity) to store binary 0s and 1s
List the advantages of magnetic storage
High capacity
Low cost (per gigabyte)
Moderate read/write access times
List the disadvantages of magnetic storage
Low durability - moving parts can get damaged if dropped
Not portable - heavy and bulky making them less convenient for transport
Reliability - prone to mechanical failure
Noise - loud (spinning disks)
What is solid state storage?
Solid state storage is a type of non-volatile media that uses electronic circuits to store binary 0s and 1s
List the advantages of solid state storage
Medium/high storage
Very fast read/write access speeds
Durable - no moving parts
Portable - small and no moving parts
Noise - silent
List the disadvantages of solid state storage
Very high cost per gigabyte
Limited read/write cycles
What is optical storage?
Optical storage is a type of non-volatile media that uses lasers to burn the surface of a disk, creating pits and lands suitable for storing binary 0s and 1s
State the advantages of optical storage
Low cost (per gigabyte)
Durable - no moving parts
Portable - small and no moving parts
Silent
State the disadvantages of optical storage
Very low capacity
Very slow read/write access
Prone to scratches
What is capacity of storage?
It describes the amounts of binary digits that can be stored on a digital device
State the order (from lowest to highest) of units
Bit (b)
Nibble (4b)
Byte (B)
Kibibyte (KiB)
Mebibyte (MiB)
Gibibyte (GiB)
Tebibyte (TiB)
