COMPUTER STORAGE DEVICE
Definition
The storage device is also known as the “Digital storage” “Storage media” “Data Storage” or “Storage medium”, A storage device is any storage for saving documents and any character of data. It helps remember and retain information for a short time, a long time, and a lifetime. it can move anywhere. These can be used internally or externally to a computer, server, or computing device. There are many types of storage devices, each with its benefits and drawbacks.
The usage of storage devices
The storage devices are primarily imported for database and data retention. It is also useful for humans to use to carry the kind of data needed for work. They are of different sizes, shapes.
The primary storage device is Register memory, RAM, ROM, and Cache memory used for the CPU.
The secondary storage device as Hard disks, CD/DVD used to store the data permanently in the computer. (Ibrahim, 2014).
Tertiary storage the main objective of the tertiary storage level is to provide huge storage capacity at a low cost. (K.C., 2008)
Tertiary storage comprises high-capacity data archives designed to incorporate vast numbers of removable media, such as tapes or optical discs. (Thomas Sterling, 2018)
Tertiary storage is used to move media in between their long-term storage locations and available drives without human intervention (BANGER, n.d.)
Offline storage Devices such as portable hard discs, CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives, and SD cards are all examples of offline storage. These storage mediums are portable and compatible with a range of systems. Offline storage can also be used to create backups. (Technical implementation (storage), n.d.)
Type of storage
· Primary storage
· Secondary storage
· Tertiary storage
· Offline storage
Primary storage
Primary storage is called the main memory. Usually, it is the smaller size. There is a direct memory that is accessible to the Central Processing Unit. Random-access memory, cache memory, Register Memory, and Read-only Memory are common examples of primary storage devices. Its Primary storage comprises only Internal memory. These storage devices are capable access all data directly from the CPU with the help of various data buses. Example Primary storage device including RAM, cache memory, and ROM.
RAM
Stands for (Random Access Memory), the RAM can essentially be high-speed storage that your computer and its applications utilize to store and access temporary data. It is having a computer’s short-term memory
The RAM has variants, Example -
o SRAM -Static RAM-
o DRAM- Dynamic RAM
§ SRAM — uses the capacitors for storing data in few milliseconds while the system’s power gets turned on. Dynamic RAM’s speed is slow as well as consuming low power. It is capable to store more data compare to SRAM. DRAM is cost-effective as well. (BANGER, n.d.)
§ DRAM -Works in the computer as a form of Cache Memory, but it consumes more power as well as is more costly to DRAM. Static RAM uses six transistors, and each transistor uses one bit. (BANGER, n.d.)
ROM — Stands for (Read Only Memory), When a computer is made basic input/output instructions are placed on ROM chips. It is mainly used to store firmware. Data stored in reading Only Memory can only be modified slowly with Hard. Its Read-only memory helps store software that rarely data changed during the life of the system. ROM is saving data when power is turned off. Less cost than RAM.
Cache memory
- It has a higher speed for accessing data and allows the computer for storing a piece of data in temporary nature. Cache memory is placed near the CPU and RAM. Cache memory speed is very fast because its travel distance is short between RAM to Cache memory. Cache memory has three variants, such as — Level 1 cache, Level 2 cache, Level 3 cache. (BANGER, n.d.)
Secondary memory
Secondary storage devices are also known as “Auxiliary Memory” or “External Memory” “Secondary storage devices are volatile; it means that data does not discard while getting to turn-off power, in which all data store for a long time. Secondary storage devices have the speed of access to data is very slow compare to primary storage devices, and they are cheaper as well. Without primary storage devices, these secondary storage devices are useless because secondary storage devices must be needed the primary memory for processing data. First of all, the entire data is transferred into primary memory then data is getting to make for executable. (BANGER, n.d.)
Example –
· Magnetic Tapes
· Optical Disc
· Floppy Disc
· Flash Memory
· Paper Tape
· Punched cards
· Pen Drive
· Hard disks
Hard disk
Hard disk is primary memory it is one of most users of storage in the world. It is said to be the rigid magnetic disc that stores data. A hard disk drive (also known as a hard drive, HD, or HDD) can be found installed in almost every desktop and laptop computer. It stores files for the operating system and software programs as well as user documents, such as photographs, text files, videos, and audio. The hard drive uses magnetic storage to record and retrieve digital information to and from one or more fast-spinning disks. (GOODMAN, 2021)
Primary storage vs Secondary storage
There are some differences between primary storage and secondary storage
Tertiary storage
The main objective of the tertiary storage level is to provide huge storage capacity at a low cost. Several types of storage devices are available to be used at the tertiary storage level in Hierarchical Storage Systems (HSS). They include • Magnetic tapes • Optical disks • Optical tapes These storage devices are composed of fixed storage drives and removable media units. The storage drives are fixed to the computer system. The removable media unit can be removed from the drives so that the storage capacity can be expanded with more media units. When data on a media are accessed, the media unit is accessed from its normal location. One of the storage drives on the computer system is chosen. If there is a media unit in the storage drive, the old media unit is unloaded and ejected. The new media unit is then loaded to the drive. Each type of storage drive may handle the storage drives and media units differently. The magnetic tapes are described below in the next section. Then, the optical tapes are presented. Afterward, the optical disks are briefly described before this chapter is summarized. (K.C., 2008)
Example -
· Magnetic tapes
·Optical disks
Offline storage
Offline storage is storage that must be physically connected or inserted into a computer system every time you want to use it. It is not built into the system. Offline storage is a convenient way of taking your data with you but widespread distributed storage in the form of cloud computing is expected to reduce the appeal of offline storage.
Devices such as portable hard discs, CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives, and SD cards are all examples of offline storage. These storage mediums are portable and compatible with a range of systems. Offline storage can also be used to create backups. Many organizations will back up to some older technology such as Digital Data Storage. Digital data storage makes use of digital magnetic tape technology and can be used as a cheap method of data backup that can be held offline until tapes are inserted to retrieve data. (Distributed and offline storage, n.d.)
Type of computer storage devices
· Magnetic storage devices
· Optical storage devices
· Flash Memory device
· Online Could storage devices
Magnetic storage devices
Magnetic storage is also known as “Magnetic Media” or “Magnetic Memory” or “Magnetic Medium”. In the Magnetic storage devices, all data are stored using the magnetized medium, and those types of data are saved in that medium in the binary form like 0 and 1. This magnetic storage has also non-volatile storage nature. Today, most people are preferred to magnetic mediums because magnetic storage devices can be performed read/write activities very easily.
Magnetic storage devices have huge capacities for storing data that it’s a more attractive point. These storage devices are not more costly but their data accessing power is slow, but this magnetic mechanism is also to be used in the RAM that has good data accessing power to others. (BANGER, n.d.)
Example –
· Hard Drive
· Floppy Disk
· Magnetic Tape
· Magnetic Drum
· Zip Diskette
· SuperDisk
Optical storage devices
Optical storage is also known as “Optical Media” or “Optical Memory” or “Optical Medium”, and it allows all read and write activities that are performed by a laser beam.
In Optical Memory, all recording information is stored at an optical disk. As per the opinions of data scientists that compact space is most useful for huge data storage. Their big advantages are not more costly, lightweight, and easy to transport because it is a removable device, unlike a hard drive.
In the optical storage devices, all data is saved like patterns of dots which can be easily read using LIGHT. Laser Beam is used as a “Light Source”.
The data is read while bouncing the laser beam on the surface of the storage medium. The laser beam creates all Dots while the reading process, but it is used with high power mode to mark the surface of the storage device and make a dot. This entire process is also called the “Burning” data onto Disc. (BANGER, n.d.)
Example –
· CD-ROM
· DVD-ROM
· Blue Ray
· HD DVD
· DVD-RAM
Flash Memory device
Flash Memory was introduced by Dr. Fujio Masuoka in 1980. Flash memory is also known as electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), because in which piece of code like programming can be written and erased electrically.
Flash memory also uses for storing data in computers as well as electronic devices such as USB flash drives, MP3 players, digital cameras, and solid-state drives. Flash memory is non-volatile because all data are persisted in the memory when power is a turn-off. (BANGER, n.d.)
Example –
· SD Card
· SSD
· Memory Card
Online Could storage devices
Cloud storage is a model of computer data storage in which the digital data is stored in logical pools, said to be on “the cloud “Cloud storage is a model of computer data storage in which the digital data is stored in logical pools, said to be on “the cloud” The physical storage spans multiple servers (sometimes in multiple locations), and the physical environment is typically owned and managed by a hosting company. These cloud storage providers are responsible for keeping the data available and accessible, and the physical environment secured, protected, and running. People and organizations buy or lease storage capacity from the providers to store user, organization, or application data. (Cloud storage, n.d.)
Example
· Dropbox
· iCloud
· Google Drive
· Mega
The Most used storage devices
·Flash memory
One of the most recognizable types of flash memory devices is the USB flash drive. Also known as a thumb drive or a memory stick, these small, portable storage devices have long been a popular choice for extra computer storage. (Types of storage devices, n.d.)
But today, most people use different types of storage devices. So, among them the most used storage devices are
USB flash drives
Hard disks
Optical disk
Characteristics of computer storage devices
Storage technologies at all levels of the storage hierarchy can be differentiated by evaluating certain core characteristics as well as measuring characteristics specific to a particular implementation. These core characteristics are volatility, mutability, accessibility, and addressability. For any particular implementation of any storage technology, the characteristics worth measuring are capacity and performance (Computer data storage, n.d.)
Speed- Capacity relates to the volume of data that can be stored on a device. In some circumstances, it is important to have a large capacity. (Characteristics of Storage Types, n.d.
Portability — Portability is often an important factor for storage devices as we use more devices that move around with us. Characteristics of a portable device are being lightweight and small — imagine a smartphone with a full-sized hard drive! (Characteristics of Storage Types, n.d.)
Durability- If something is durable, that means that it can withstand physical movement or even be dropped. Devices that need to be transported between locations regularly need to be durable to prevent them from being easily damaged. (Characteristics of Storage Types, n.d.)
Reliability- It’s easy to confuse durability and reliability, but reliability refers to whether a device can be relied upon to work time and time again. If the device fails, how much of a disaster would it be? (Characteristics of Storage Types, n.d.)
Cost- The cost of storage can be looked at in several ways. We can measure the cost per MB or the cost of the device as a whole. Sometimes, although the cost per MB may be higher, the capacity needs are smaller making the cost per device more important — e.g. CDs & DVDs (Characteristics of Storage Types, n.d.)
References
BANGER, E. R. (n.d.). What is Storage Devices: Types, Examples, Functions, Uses. Retrieved from digitalthinkerhelp: https://digitalthinkerhelp.com/what-is-storage-devices-types-examples-functions-uses/
Characteristics of Storage Types. (n.d.). Retrieved from Teach Au About It: https://teachallaboutit.school/characteristics-of-storage-types/
Cloud storage. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_storage
Computer data storage. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_data_storage
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Distributed and offline storage. (n.d.). Retrieved from bbc: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zws3gk7/revision/1
GOODMAN, P. (2021, Jan 8). Computer Basics: 10 Examples of Storage Devices for Digital Data. Retrieved from turbo future : https://turbofuture.com/computers/Examples-of-Data-Storage-Devices
Ibrahim, S. (2014, Feb 14). Secondary storage devices. Retrieved from slideshare: https://www.slideshare.net/siddiqueibrahim37/secondary-storage-31237464
K.C., P. (2008). Tertiary Storage Devices. Retrieved from IGI Global: https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/tertiary-storage-devices/27009
PAL, S. K. (n.d.). Different Types of RAM (Random Access Memory ). Retrieved from GeeksForGeeks: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/different-types-ram-random-access-memory/
Technical implementation (storage). (n.d.). Retrieved from BBC — Bitesize: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zws3gk7/revision/1#:~:text=Devices%20such%20as%20portable%20hard,be%20used%20to%20create%20backups.
Thomas Sterling, M. B. (2018). Tertiary Storage. Retrieved from scienceDirect: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/tertiary-storage
Types of storage devices. (n.d.). Retrieved from Dropbox: https://experience.dropbox.com/get-organized/storage-devices