IGCSE ICT Chapter3 Storage devices and media

Overview
• they are peripheral devices
• Hold data even the computer is off
• Storage medium ---- holds data
• Storage device –machine let you store data on the medium and read data
• Ex: CD RW disk –medium , CD RW drive-machine
Storage devices and media
3 different types of storage device
Magnetic storage media
• Hold data magnetically
• Media is made of magnetic material
• Magnetic polarity can be changed 0 to 1
Optical storage media
• Store data in little pits burnt by a laser repeating 1s and 0s
• Difference between reflected light used to store data
Solid state storage
• No moving parts and fixed directly into the computer
• The device and the edium is the same
Magnetic storage media
Fixed hard disk and drivers
Fixed hard disk
• Main storage
• Data stored on one or more disks
• Each has read/write head-this can write and read data from it
• Advantagous
1. can store very large amount of data
2. Access is fast and No limit fot reuse
• Disavantage
1. Fragile ,Needs to backup always
• Store 3 types of data
1. Operatig system 2.The users applicatons 3.User’s data
• These data on hard disk send to computers RAM when needed.
• Direct data access- find particular data without reading everything. So quicker.
Hard disks and Drivers
Removable and portable hard disk
• Similar to fixed one
• Same technology use
• The difference is not connected inside the computer and use different type
of interface
• Need to protect more ,Fragile
• Cost more and can hold more data
• Useful for backups
• Advantages
❖No need external power source, Small easy to carry
❖Can use by multiple PCS for sharing files
❖Allwed automatic backups, Quick archiving data
• Disadvantage
❖Not good to switch between Macs and PCs
Magnetic tape drivers and tapes
• Similar to magnetic disks
• Difference is data is stored in a long line on the tape not scatterd as in the disks
• Magnetic tape drive is the device that drives the tape
• Tape is read/write using a read/write head similar to magnetic disk
• But in a tape reader read/write head stay stil and tape moves
• This type of storage is serial storage –data store one piece after the other
• If the data is arranged in any order finding data is quicker – and this is
sequential storage but still slower than the direct access of hard disks.
• Use to store large amount of data and speed is not important Ex. Backups
• Cheaper than disk storage and not damaged easily
• Sequential arrangement is important – the payroll for a large company(all the
data needs to be read so everyone gets paid. Also for utility bills.
Magnetic tape
Optical storage media
CD (compact disk)
• Hold large files , but limited storage size
• Good for music files
• Use a laser to read data
DVD (digital versatile disk)
• Can hold more data than CD
• Use more precise laser, data would be more closer and more
data can be pressed together
Uses for different types of optical storage media
Solid-state storage