Storage Devices

Data Storage
• What is it?
• It is where we put data in a known place (Save) which we can come back to later
and get the data back again (Read)
• Terms used in data storage
• Writing of data means storing data (Saving)
• Reading data means getting our data back (Open)
 Data Storage (Contd..)
• Data can be stored temporary or permanent.
• RAM (Computer Memory) used to store data temporarily
• Backing Storage Devices used to store data permanently.

Without storage devices we could not run

Operating System
 RAM (COMPUTER MEMORY) BACKING STORAGE DEVICE
Data is temporarily stored Data is permanently stored
Volatile Non-Volatile
Used to store data that is currently in Used to store data long term
use
Very fast Reading/Writing of data Slower Reading/Writing of data
Examples: Hard disk drives, Digital
Versatile Disk, flash memory sticks

DVD

RAM HDD Flash memory

sticks
 Backing Up Data
• Backing up is the process of using a storage device to copy files
and data to a different storage medium in case of a problem with
the original copy.
• Backing up of data is simply the process of making copies of your
files.
• 2 pieces of equipment are used:
• Storage device-The hardware that saves or reads the data from
the storage medium. (DVD Player)
• Storage medium-The hardware that actually holds the data
(Memory Sticks)
 Why Backup Data?
• Reasons why backups are made:
• Original data could be accidently copied over or deleted
• Data could be lost due to damage to the original storage device For e.g. Your HDD could
stop spinning.
• You could lose your original storage device. For e.g. Your laptop could get stolen or you
could misplace a memory stick.
• Hackers could access your data and delete it or change it.
• Original Storage device could be destroyed in a fire.
• Note: Virus in the Original copy can infect its backup copy as well.
Ways in which Data is Stored and
Read.
1. Serial Access
2. Direct Access
 Serial Access
• Also called as ‘Sequential Access’
• Data is accessed by starting at the beginning and then
searched through, in order/sequence, until the
required information is found.
• The need to search from the beginning of the storage
medium makes this type of data access very slow.
Working of magnetic tape
When the original magnetic tape (Master File) needs updating,
an additional tape (Transaction File) is required.
TF is sorted in the order of MF based on Key field.
The New Master file (NMF) is created to store the updated
record.
The first record of MF and TF is read.
if key field in MF <the key field in TF, then no transactions
took place and the MF record is written to the NMF, a new MF
record is now read.
if MF=TF, then the transaction took place and the new
record from the TF is written to NMF; the next record from both
MF and TF are now read.
IF MF>TF then the record doesn’t yet exist and a new record
is created on NMF and then the record is written from the TF to
the NMF; a new record is now read.
 Where serial access is used?
• Serial access is used on old magnetic tapes. These are used where t is
necessary to store a lot of data but where speed of access is unimportant.
• The way that serial access works means that all the data has to be read and
there is no danger of missing out any data.
• Serial Access Medium are used in batch processing systems like payrolls
• Example:
• Video Cassettes
• Music Cassettes
• Backup tape Cassettes
Video
cassettes
 Direct Access
• Also called “Random Access”
• Computer can calculate exactly where data has been
stored and can go straight to it directly (instant access).
• It is not forced to start accessing the data at the
beginning and then working through bit-by-bit like
serial access.
• This direct method of accessing data is much faster
than serial access.
 Where Direct Access is used
• This method is used with storage medium such as:
• Hard disk drives
• CD’s and DVD’s
• Direct access medium are used in situations where fast access to data is
important like in online booking systems.
• Other examples of storage medium that use direct access are:
• USB memory sticks
• Flash memory (like in digital camera and mobile phones)
• Blu-rays discs
Storage Media
 Storage Media
• Storage media is the term given to the devices that are used to hold
data.
• Storage media: the part that holds data.
• Storage device: the machine that reads/writes data to and from the
media.
• Storage media is “permanent storage” and will hold data even when
the computer is powered off.
• Storage media can either be:
• Internal-inside the computer
• External-plugged into the computer from outside (e.g. usb stick)
 Different types of Storage Media
Storage Media Summary
Magnetic media Hold data magnetically
Surface area of the media are magnetised so that they can hold ‘bits’
of the data
The device that reads the media can also read the bits held on the
surface area.

Optical media Holds data by burning ‘dots’ onto the surface with high powered
laser
The device that reads the media can read the data by shining a
lower powered laser over the dots

Solid-State media Holds data on devices that have no moving parts

 Storage Capacity
• Storage capacity is the term given to the maximum amount of data
that can be stored on the media.
• Storage amounts are measured in bytes and there are 8 bits (binary
digits) in 1 bytes.
 Storage Capacity Units

• Hard disk drives have capacity in the terabytes

• Floppy disks drives can only hold 1.44 MB of data.
Storage Capacity Examples:
Examples of Magnetic Storage media
Fixed Hard Disk Drive
• Used on all computers and are
main method of storing data.
This is because they are capable
of very fast access of files and
have very large storage
capacities.
• The disc surface is coated in a magnetic film which is where the data
is stored. These have read/write heads which allow data to be written
to (saved) or read (used) from the disc.
• It is used to store OS, Software applications and all other files.
• Storage space are 250GB upto 4TB (4,096 GB)
• Real Time systems (Robots, chemical plant control systems) and
online systems (booking airline tickets etc) use hard disk drives to
store data.
• Used in file servers on computer networks to store files.
Portable Hard Disk Drive
• Works in a similar way to fixed hard
discs but are connected to the
computer externally via a Universal
Serial Bus (USB) port.
• They use direct access methods which
makes reading/writing of data very
fast.
• Designed to be transportable.
• Because they are used outside of the
computer they come with protective
casing to avoid physical damage to the
disk drive.
• Storage spaces are 250 GB upto 3 TB
(3,072 GB)
Floppy Disk
• Old Method of Portable data
storage where information is
held on the thin plastic disc

• As the disk rotates, a read/write

head is used to add or read
data.
• The data is written using Direct
data access methods.

• Maximum Storage on the floppy disk is only about 1.44 MB (700 Pages of text).
• Write Protect facility is useful to prevent accidental overwriting of data.
• Still used where very small files needs to be transferred/stored.
Magnetic Tape
• Magnetic tape is athin strip of magnetic
coated plastic which is wrapped into a reel.
• Data is stored on the magnetic plastic in the
form of 1’s and 0’s
• Data is written to and read from in sequence which is also
known as ‘serial access’.
• This type of storage media has a very slow data access rate. So,
it is useless for real-time applications.
• Used for backups of computer networks in schools and business
 Solid State Media
“Any memory device with no moving parts and are based on electric circuits”
• Solid State Drive have no moving parts. (no reels of tape, no spinning disks, no
moving laser beams etc.)
• SSD technology is known as “flash memory” and this is the smallest form of data
storage. (Ex. Memory Sticks, Memory Cards etc.)
• They store data as 1’s and 0’s within millions of electric transistors instead of on
films of magnetic substance or as dots on discs.
• Advantages:
• Much smaller
• Use less power (no moving parts means less power needed)
• Faster data access and transfer times.
• Much more robust (harder to damage)
Examples of solid state Media
Solid State Hard Drives
• Used in Desktop PC’s and laptops in place of magnetic hard disk drives.
• They are also known as “SSD’s”
• Advantages
• Run Silently
• Longer life span
• Faster data access and transfer times.
• Use less power
• Produce less heat
• Stores file permanently
• Capacity of about 1TB (approx. 1 million thick books worth of text.)
• Uses:
• OS
• Software applications (ex. Word processors, spreadsheets etc.)
• Music/Video files.
• School work, photos.
 Memory Sticks / Pen Drives
• Memory sticks are small, portable external storage devices
• They are used to easily transfer data between computers.
• Memory sticks use solid state technology and are used connected to the
computer via USB ports.
• Data access and transfer is very fast.
• Memory sticks are very cheap to buy.
• Current capacities of memory sticks are up to 512 GB about 500,000
thick books.
 Flash Memory Cards
• Flash Memory cards are also known as ‘Secure Digital Cards’ (or SD Cards)
• SD Cards are small an rectangular in shape.
• These are a form of Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM)
• SD cards use solid state technology (they have no moving parts)
• A wide range of devices have slots to read flash memory cards including laptops, mobile
phones, tablets and mp3 players.
• SD cards have a maximum capacity of about 256GB
• Micro SD Cards have a maximum capacity of about 128GB
• SD Cards are used to store photos on digital cameras.