Storage holds data, instructions, and information for future use. Common storage media include floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, tape, and flash drives. Larger storage capacities are measured in kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes and terabytes. Optical discs like CDs and DVDs use pits and lands to store data as binary digits, while magnetic media like floppy disks and tape use magnetic particles. Flash drives, memory cards, and smart cards provide portable storage. Tape is still used for backup storage due to low cost per gigabyte.