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01 03 Storage Structure

Computer systems are divided into main memory (RAM) and secondary storage. Main memory allows for fast random access but is volatile, while secondary storage like hard disks provides larger non-volatile storage but is slower. Storage devices are organized hierarchically based on speed and capacity, with registers and cache being the fastest but smallest. Caching improves performance by copying data from secondary storage into faster main memory. Device controllers manage interactions between storage devices and the computer.

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213 views2 pages

01 03 Storage Structure

Computer systems are divided into main memory (RAM) and secondary storage. Main memory allows for fast random access but is volatile, while secondary storage like hard disks provides larger non-volatile storage but is slower. Storage devices are organized hierarchically based on speed and capacity, with registers and cache being the fastest but smallest. Caching improves performance by copying data from secondary storage into faster main memory. Device controllers manage interactions between storage devices and the computer.

Uploaded by

Marlo Capala
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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01 03 Storage Structure

Based on the information provided, here are the key findings about the storage structure of computer
systems:

Storage Structure: Computer systems are typically divided into two main components: main memory
(RAM) and secondary storage. Main memory is the primary storage medium that the CPU can directly
access, while secondary storage provides a larger non-volatile storage capacity.

Main Memory (RAM): Main memory is characterized as random-access memory (RAM), which allows for
fast and random access to data. It is volatile, meaning that data is temporarily stored in RAM, and it is
lost when the power is turned off.

Secondary Storage: Secondary storage is an extension of the main memory and provides non-volatile
storage. It includes devices such as hard disk drives, magnetic disks, optical disks, and magnetic tapes.
Secondary storage is slower compared to RAM but offers larger storage capacity for permanent data
storage.

Magnetic Disk (Hard Disk Drive): A hard disk drive is a common type of secondary storage. It consists of
rigid metal or glass platters coated with magnetic recording material. The disk surface is logically divided
into tracks and sectors. A disk controller manages the interaction between the device and the computer.

Non-Volatile Memory Devices: Non-volatile memory (NVM) devices offer faster access compared to hard
disks and are also non-volatile, meaning data is retained even when power is lost. Various NVM
technologies are becoming more popular due to increasing capacity, performance, and affordability.

Storage Capacity and Access Time: Storage devices are organized into a hierarchical structure based on
speed, cost, and volatility. Primary storage, including registers, cache, and main memory, offers faster
access but limited storage capacity. Secondary storage, such as hard disk drives, provides larger capacity
but slower access. Tertiary storage, like magnetic tapes, offers even larger capacity but slower access
than secondary storage.
Caching: Caching involves copying information into a faster storage system. Main memory can be viewed
as a cache for secondary storage. When data is moved from secondary storage (e.g., hard disk) to faster
storage (e.g., RAM), it is referred to as caching, improving overall system performance.

Device Controller and Device Driver: Storage devices, including hard disks, have their own device
controllers, which manage I/O operations and logical interactions between the device and the computer.
Device drivers are software components that provide a uniform interface between the controller and the
operating system.

Storage Units: The basic unit of computer storage is the bit, representing a value of zero or one. Eight
bits form a byte, which is the smallest convenient chunk of storage on most computers. A word, the
computer architecture's native unit of data, is made up of one or more bytes. Storage capacity is typically
measured in kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), petabytes (PB), and so on.

Von Neumann Architecture: Modern computers are still based on the Von Neumann architecture. The
CPU communicates directly with the RAM, where instructions and data are loaded from input/output
(I/O) devices. The CPU executes instructions fetched from and stored back into the memory. DMA (Direct
Memory Access) allows high-speed I/O devices to transfer data directly to the main memory without
CPU intervention, improving data transfer speeds.

These key findings provide an overview of the storage structure in computer systems, including the
different storage components, their characteristics, hierarchy, and their role in data storage and
processing.

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