The Computing Application

Storage Devices
 Presentation Overview
Storage
•Basic Units Of Data Storage
•Data Access Methods
Magnetic Disks
•Hard Disk
•Floppy Disk or Diskette
•Zip Disk
•Super Disk
Optical Disk
•CD
•DVD
•Blu-Ray Disk
Flash Memory Storage
•Solid State Drives
•USB Flash Drives
•Memory Cards
 Storage
Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, is a technology
consisting of computer components and recording media used to retain digital
data. It is a core function and fundamental component of computers
Storage is required for following reason:
 The main memory is temporary memory. the storage is required to store data
and programs permanently.
 The capacity is limited. The storage is required to store a large amount of data
and program
Data Access Methods
Different methods of accessing data are following:

1-Random access memory 2-Sequential access memory

1-Random access memory:

Direct (out of sequence or random) access by a computer (CPU) means that
data can be retrieved directly from any location on a storage medium in any
order.
More precisely called Direct Access. A random-access data file enables you to
read or write information anywhere in the file.
All storage devices used today are random access devices:
>CD/DVD Drives
>USB Flash Drives
2-Sequential access memory (SAM)
Sequential access memory (SAM) is a class of data storage devices that read
stored data in a sequence. Magnetic sequential access memory is typically used
for secondary storage in general-purpose computers due to their higher density
at lower cost compared to RAM, as well as resistance to wear and non-volatility.
Examples of SAM devices still in use include:
> Hard Disks
> CD-ROMs
> Magnetic tapes.
 Magnetic Disks
A magnetic disk is a storage device that uses a magnetization process to write,
rewrite and access data. It is covered with a magnetic coating and stores data in
the form of tracks, spots and sectors. Tracks form circles on the surface of a
magnetic disk. Each track on a disc is divided into two sectors. Each sector
typically stores up to 512 bytes of data.
Hard disks, zip disks and floppy disks are common examples of magnetic disks.
 Zip Disk
The Zip drive is a medium-to-high-capacity removable floppy disk storage system
(for its period of contemporary use) that was introduced by Iomega in late 1994.
Originally Zip disks launched with capacities of 100 MB, but later versions increased
this to first 250 MB and then 750 MB.
Super Disk
A disk storage technology developed by Imation Corporation that supports very high-
density diskettes. Its capacity is 120MB to 250 MB. It can also read the standard
1.44 MB floppy disk.
 HARD DISK
A hard disk is part of a unit, often called a "disk drive," "hard drive," or "hard disk
drive," that stores and provides relatively quick access to large amounts of data on
an electromagnetically charged surface or set of surfaces. Today's computers typically
come with a hard disk that contains several billion bytes (gigabytes) of storage.
A hard disk is really a set of stacked "disks," each of which, like phonograph records,
has data recorded electromagnetically in concentric circles or "tracks" on the disk. A
"head” records or reads the information on the tracks. Two heads, one on each side
of a disk, read or write the data as the disk spins. Each read or write operation
requires that data be located, which is an operation called a "seek."
 HARD DISK PERFORMNCE
The following factors affect the performance of hard disc
✔SEEK TIME
It is also called positioning performance. It is time required by read/write head to
reach
the correct location on the disk. It is measured in milliseconds.
✔SPINDLE SPEED
It is also called transfer performance. It is the speed at which the drive transfers
data. It is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM).
✔LATENCY
It is the time required by the spinning platter to bring the desired data to
read/write head. It is measured in milliseconds.
EXTERNAL AND REMOVABLE HARD
DISK
An external hard disk is a separate hard disk that is connected to USB port or
FireWire port on system unit. The advantage of external hard disk is that it can be
installed without opening the system unit. The storage capacity of external hard
disk is upto 4TB and more.
ADVANTAGES
SOME important advantages are as following.
✔These can be used to transfer large number of files from one place to another.
✔These disk can store large number of audio and video files easily.
✔These disk can be used to backup important files or entire internal hard disk.
 MINIATURE HARD DISKS
The miniature hard disc are very small hard disks. These disks are available in
different sizes such as 0.85 inch or 1 inch or 1.8 inch. Both internal and external
hard disks are available in miniature sizes.
These devices such as portable media player, digital camera, smartphones usually
have internal miniature hard disks. The storage capacity of miniature hard disk is
from 1GB to 320GB.
 DISK CACHE
Disk caching is often used to speed up magnetic hard drive performance. Today’s
hard drives typically use a disk cache consisting of memory chips that is located
on circuit board inside the hard drive case. The computer copies the requested
data to the disk cache any time the hard drive is accessed.
 FLOPPY DISKS
» Floppy disks are also known as Diskette.
» Floppy disk is a portable magnetic storage device.
» A floppy disk can store up to 1.44 Mb of data which is equivalent to around 300
pages of A4 text.
» They used to be the ideal storage device for transferring small files from home to
work/school or from one office computer to another. But nowadays, many files
contain graphics that are larger than the size of the floppy disk so it is not
commonly used now a days.
» All disks must be formatted before data can be written to the disk. Formatting
divides the disk up into sections or sectors onto which data files are stored.

Advantages
✔Portable - small and lightweight ,inexpensive
✔Useful for transferring small files between home and school
✔Can be used many times
Disadvantages
✔Not very strong - easy to damage
✔Data can be erased if the disk comes into contact with a magnetic field
✔Quite slow to access and retrieve data when compared to a hard disk
✔Can transport viruses from one machine to another
✔Small storage capacity
 Flash memory Storage
Flash memory is a solid-state chip that maintains stored data without any
external power source. It is commonly used in portable electronics and removable
storage devices, and to replace computer hard drive
Flash memory is widely use in smart phone, digital camera , portable media player

Types of flash memory:

❒ Solid state drives

The newest flash memory application, SSDs can replace a computer's hard drive.
They have no moving parts, so mechanical failure is near zero. Solid-state drives
are quieter and smaller than hard drives, and they provide faster response,
access and boot-up times but consume much less power and run cooler.
Advantages:
✔Provide faster data access and data transfer.
✔They do not generate noise.
✔Security – allowing a very quick scan of all data stored.
✔Some of the storage devices are waterproof.

Disadvantages:
✔Price – solid state drives are more expensive than magnetic hard drive.
✔Recovery of data in case of failure can be more difficult than magnetic hard
drive
❒USB Flash Drive
USB flash drive is a flash memory storage drive also are called thumb drives,
jump drives, pen drives, key drives, tokens, or simply USB drives.
A small, portable flash memory card that plugs into a computer USB port and
functions as a portable hard drive. USB flash drives are touted as being easy-to-
use as they are small enough to be carried in a pocket and can plug into any
computer with a USB drive. USB flash drives have less storage capacity than an
external hard drive, but they are smaller and more durable because they do not
contain any internal moving parts.
 Wireless flash drive
Wireless flash drive is used to store and share data wirelessly across mobile
devices and computers. It is portable and very easy to use It connects wirelessly up
to eight drives and stream video at the same time via Wi-Fi. Wireless flash drives
are available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB
Example: SanDisk Connect.
 Memory cards
A memory card or flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage used for
storing digital information. These are commonly used in portable electronic
devices, such as digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers, tablets, MP3
players and video game consoles.
A memory card can be inserted into a slot on computer or mobile device. However
a card reader can be attached to a computer if it does not have a slot.
Types:
❒ Compact Flash (CF)
Invented by SanDisk Corporation in 1994, CompactFlash cards can support 3.3V
and 5V operation and can switch between the two, in contrast to other small-form
factor flash memory cards that can operate only at one voltage. The storage
capacity of compact flash can be from 8GB to 512GB.
❒ Secure Digital Card (SD card)
SD cards are used in many small portable devices such as digital
video camcorders, digital cameras, handheld computers, audio players and
mobile phones.SD Memory Cards are now available in capacities between 16
Megabytes and 1 Gigabyte, and still growing. It provide a storage capacity up to
32GB.

❒ Memory stick media

Memory Stick is a removable flash memory card format, launched by Sony and is
also used in general to describe the whole family of Memory Sticks. In addition
to the original Memory Stick, this family includes the Memory Stick PRO, a
revision that allows greater maximum storage capacity and faster file transfer
speeds. Another type of memory stick is called Memory Stick Micro (M2)
with storage capacity of 2GB to 4GB.
❒ Security digital Memory Cards SDXC
Security digital extended capacity is commonly used in digital cameras. It provides
the
storage capacity of 32GB upto2TB
 OPTICAL DISC
Optical disc is a form of removable storage. It includes CDs , DVDs and blue ray
discs, Optical drives use a laser to read and write data on optical disc. The laser
stands for Light Amplification through Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser
beam writes on the surface by creating small pit (hole) in the disc. Optical disc
commonly store data in single track. Optical disc storage capacity is from 700 MB to
several GB.The main catagories of optical disc are CD and DVD.
 CD
CD stands for Compact Disc. It is mainly used to store photos, audio and
computer software. CDs are available in three types which are read only recordable
and rewriteable. Different types of CDs are as follows.
1-CD-ROM
CD-ROM stands for Compact DISC Read-Only Memory. The data stored on CD-
ROM can only be read. It cannot be deleted or changed. It can store up to 700MB of
data.
USES OF CD-ROM
CR-ROM is mostly used to store photos and audios.
It is often used to distribute new application software and games.
ADVANTGES OF CD-ROM
✔It is the least expensive way to store data and information.
✔CD-ROM discs are durable and easy to handle.
DISTAVANTAGES OF CD-ROM
✔The data cannot be edited.
✔It retrieves data and information more slowly than magnetic hard disk.
2-CD-R
CD-R stands for CD Recordable. The user can write data on CD-R only once but
can read it many times. The data written on CD-R cannot be erased. CD-R drives
are known as CD burners. The process of recording data on CD-R is called
burning. CD-R is known as WORM (Write Once Read Many).
3-CD-RW
CD-RW stands for Compact Disc Rewriteable. It is also known as erasable optical
disc. The most common type erasable and rewritable optical disc is magneto-
optical disc.
 DVD
DVD stands for Digital Video Disc. The storage capacity of DVD is much greater
than CD. It can store up to 17 GB of data. DVDs are available in three types
which are read-only , recordable and rewritable.

TYPES:
1 DVD-ROM
DVD-ROM stands for Digital Video Disc Read Only Memory. It is high capacity
optical disc that the users can only read but not write or erase.
2 DVD-R
DVD-R stands for Digital Video Disc Recordable. It is similar to CD-R disc.
The written data cannot be erased.
3-DVD-RW
DVD-RW stands for Digital Video Disc Rewritable. The user can write data on CD-RW
many times by erasing the existing contents.

BLU-RAY DISC
Blu-Ray disc is a new and more expensive DVD format. It provides higher capacity
and better quality than standards DVDs especially for high-definition video. It can
store up to 100 GB of data.