Storage devices media

Back up data
 It is a copy of a data used in case the original files cannot be used.
 They are often stored in different place from the original files.
 It used as a safe guard from loss of data.
 It is used against damage caused by hackers.
 They can also be used if the files need to be used in another area.

Types of data accesses

 Any specific information about “a thing” is stored in a small space known as field.
 All the data/information about “a thing” is known has record. All information about
 When these two are compiled it is called a file. a thing, for example
Example: car 1, is red, has 1.5
liters of petrol, tec.

A specific
information
stored in a
box, like car 1

Serial access
 Serial access is method that goes through the entire record just to find a single record. If serial
method is applied to search for the record of car 20, the computer will go through all of the
records of each car to find the record of car 20.
 It is mostly used in magnetic tapes, due its slowness in accessing the data.
 To be able to update magnetic tape you first have to have the original magnetitic tape (known
as master file) that needs the update, and the additional tape that has the update (called
transaction file). Then you get a new tape where you put the master file, and the transaction file
in a proper order. For example, you want to add an introduction to a movie, so you will but the
introduction (transaction file) first, then put the rest of the movie (master file).

Direct access

 Direct access is the method that directly locates the data without the need to go
through the whole collection. For example, you can now easily access a specific part of a
movie without having to watch all of it.
 It is mostly used with magnetic discs, optical media, and solid-state media.
  key field (it is the field that sorts through the records) is used to calculate where the
data would be stored. For example, it will calculate the song “under the sea” from the
little mermaid, is at the introduction part so it would be in the first third of the move.
 When updating you can just edit the original disc.
 This application is used when you need to access a specific data fast, like in a real-life
operation, or when teaching.

Secondary storage media

 It is the storage area inside every computer that saves all the data permanently from the
RAM.
 The 3 typed of secondary storage area are magnetic, optical and solid state.

Magnetic storage media

They use the magnetic properties of some metals, and these magnetic materials are coated on
discs or tapes that can be magnetized in a certain way to represent 0’s and 1’s.
Fixed/internal hard disk
 It is used to store operating systems, system software, and working
data/files.
 Storing applications software that needs fast retrieval and storage of data
 Used in real-time systems and online systems.
 Used in file servers for computer networks.

Advantages Disadvantages
Very fast data transfer rate Can be easily damaged
Fast access time to data They have many moving parts compared to
solid state drives
Very large memory capacity Read/write operations can be noisy
compared to SSD’s

Portable hard disk drive

 They can be used as backup systems.
 They can be used to transfer data/files/software between computers.

Advantages Disadvantages
Data access time and data transfer rate are
very fast They can be easily damaged if stopped or
Large memory capacity subjected to strong magnetic fields.
Used as a method of transferring information
between computers
 Magnetic tapes
 Can be used with batch processing applications, like processing bank
cheques.
 Used as back-up media
 Used in long term storing of data, because of its large storage and stability.

Advantages Disadvantages
Generally, less expensive then hard disk per Very slow data access time
byte.
Very robust technology (meaning very stable When updating another tape is needed
and can last longer)
Huge data storage capacity Are effect by magnetic forces
The data transfer rate is very fast

Optical storage media

CD/DVD disks
 Use laser light to be able to read and write data on a disk.
 The use a single track that runs from the center to the edge.
 The data is stored on “pits” and “bumps” on the spiral, and the red laser uses
them to read and write data.
 Can be designed in 3 ways
o R- write once only
o ROM- can only be read
o RW- can be written to or tread from many times
 DVD is different from CD, as it has dual-layering (basically 2 recording layers).
This allows them to have larger capacity then CD.
CD ROM and DVD ROM
 CD-ROMs are used to store music files, software, computer games and
reference software.
 DVD-ROMs are used to store films, computer data, etc. because of its large
storage.
 They both are used in applications where there is a need to prevent the
overwriting or deletion of important data

Advantages Disadvantages
They hold far more data then floppy disk The data transfer rate/data access is slower
than hard disk
They are less expensive then hard disk drive
systems

CD-R and DVD-R

 used in home recording of music (CD-R) and films (DVD-R)
 Used to store data to be kept for later use or to be transferred to another
computer

Advantages Disadvantages
Cheaper than RW disks If there is an error after finalizing then the
disk has to be thrown away.
Once burned (and finalized) they are like a ROM Not all CD/DVD players can read CD-
R/DVD-R

CD-RW and DVD-RW

 used to record television programmes, which can be recorded over time and
time again.
 Not as wasteful as R format as more files/data can be added to at a later
stage.
 Used in CCTV systems

Advantages Disadvantages
Can be written over many times Can be relatively expensive
Can use different file formats each time it is It is possible to accidentally overwrite data
used.

DVD RAM
 Can be used in recording devices such as satellite receivers to allow
simultaneous recording and playback.
 Used in camcorders to store movies

Advantages Disadvantages
Long life span Not as compatible as R and RW, as many
systems don’t recognize the DVD-RAM format
Possible to rewrite operations over 100,000 Relatively expansive
Very liable, as it ensures the accuracy of data Can be replaced by newer technologies like SSDs
Very fast access if the files are small
No need to finalize the disk
Very large capacity
The data can be written at the same time it
can be read
 Blu-ray discs
 can be used in home video consoles.
 Storing and playing back movies.
 Pc’s can use this technology for data storage or backing up hard drives.
 Camcorders can use this media to store movie footage.

Advantages Disadvantages
Very large capacity Relatively expensive
Very fast transfer rate Encryption problems when used to store
videos
The data access speed is also greater than There are fewer movie titles on Blu-ray
other optical media
They automatically come with secure
encryption systems
Solid state storage media
Solid state drive (SSD)
 They have no moving parts and all data is retrieved at the same rate no matter
where it is stored.
 The most common type of solid-state storage devices store data by controlling
the movement of electrons with NAND ships.
 The data stored as 0’s and 1’s in millions of tiny transistors within a chip,
producing non-volatiles rewritable memory.

Advantages Disadvantages
More reliable than the rest
Considerably lighter
Lower power consumptions They don’t last very long

Very thin
Data access is considerable fast

Memory sticks/pen drives

 Transporting files between computers or used as back up stores.
 Used as a security device to prevent software piracy.

Advantages Disadvantages
Very compact and portable Cant write-protecct the data/files
Very robust Easy to lose
Do not need additional software to work on If not careful removed the data on the
most computers memory stick can be lost.
Are not affected by magnetic fields
 Flash memory cards
 Storing photos on digital cameras.
 Used as mobile phone memory cards.
 Used in MP3 players to store music.
 Used as backup store in hand-held computer devices.

Advantages Disadvantages
Very compact and is easy to transfer from Expensive per gigabyte of memory compared
one device to another to hard drive disk.
Very robust Have a finite life regarding the number of
times they are read or written from.
Have lower storage capacity than hard disks