Storage devices and media

There are three types (according to the technology):

1- Magnetic storage media
2- Optical media
3- Solid-state media

1- Magnetic media and magnetic storage devices

Using the magnetism is one of the oldest methods for the electronic
storage of data.
Each magnetised area is very small, this allows a huge amount of
data to be stored.
the advantages of this technology is it is permanent unless it is written
over again.
Devices that use the magnetic properties to store data are:
1- magnetic tape drives
2- Hard disk drives (HDD).

Magnetic tape drives:

A magnetic tape is a very thin strip which
read or write by a read/write head in a
magnetic tape storage device.
The data is stored as a magnetised area
(which represents a 1) or demagnetised area
(which represents a 0).

Data is read from the tape using serial

access (data is read in the same order that it
was written).

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This type of storage is useless in real-time or online applications
(because it’s very slow data access speeds).
magnetic tapes are still used on large industrial or university
computers.
Uses of magnetic tape
1- In batch processing applications
2- Backup media
3- In long-term archiving of data (has a huge data storage
capacities).

Advantages of magnetic tapes

1- Less expensive
2- Very robust technology
3- Have a huge data storage capacity
4- Fast data transfer rate

Disadvantages of magnetic tape

1- Very slow data access times
2- Slow access time
3- It uses both of a master tape (the original tape) and a transaction
tape to store or update files.
4- Slow in updating data, and cause errors (not a method of storing
data).
5- Affected by magnetic fields

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 Hard disk drives (HDD)

Hard disk drives (HDD) are used to store and save data (data-
information – applications) on a computer.
Data stored in a digital format (0 or 1) on the magnetic surfaces of the
hard disks.
All read/write heads can access all of the platter surfaces in the disk
drive.
These read/ write heads move very quickly.

How HDD works?

1) Actuators are used to move the read/write heads.
2) A read/write arm swings the read/write head back and forth.
3) Each read/write head contains a tiny magnet which allows to read
data.
4) There are two read/write heads per platter (at top and bottom of
surface).
5) Data is stored in circular tracks; each track is divided into sectors.

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6)A map of the sectors is stored on the HDD and called a File Allocation
Table (FAT); when the computer wants to store new data. it searches
in the FAT map for free sectors, then it moves the read/write heads to
the correct free location.

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Hard disk drives are faster data access than magnetic tape, with small
delays.
(Latency is the time that the read/write head takes to rotate around for
a specific block of data on a data track).

Uses of fixed hard disk drives

1- To save the operating system, systems software and working
data/files.
2- Storing applications software.
3- Used in real-time systems (for example, robots)
4- Used in online systems (for example, booking)

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 5- Used in file servers for computer networks.

Advantages of fixed hard disk drives

1- A very fast data transfer rate
2- Fast access times to data.
3- Very large memory capacities.

Disadvantages of fixed hard disk drives

1- Easily damaged
2- Have many moving parts (affect their reliability).
3- Noisy read/write operation

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Portable hard disk drives:

Portable hard disk drives are HDDs external to the computer and
connected to the computer using a USB ports.
Used as a backup device.

Uses of portable hard disk drives

1- Backup systems (no loss of data).
2- Transfer data/files/software between computers.
Advantages of portable hard disk drives
1- Very fast data access time and data transfer rate.
2- Have a large memory capacity.
3- A method of transferring information between computers.
Disadvantages of portable hard disk drives
1- Easily damaged
2- Slow data transfer rate

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2- Optical media and optical storage devices

CD/DVD optical disks:

CDs and DVDS are optical media.
Both can read or write by optical storage devices.
Optical storage devices:
1- built in to a computer
2- connected by a USB.
They use laser light to read and write data on the surface of the disk.
CDs and DVDs can be as: ‘R’ (write once only), ‘RW’ (can be written
to or read from many times) or ‘ROM’ (read-only).

When the disk runs, the optical head of the drive moves to the start of
the track.
Then the laser beam follows the spiral track from the centre outwards.
The read/write head does not actually touch the CD or DVD surface.
CD/DVD is divided into sectors, allowing direct access of data.
The CD/DVD outer part of the disk runs faster than the inner part of
the disk.

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The data is stored in pits and lands on the track (gaps between pits).
A red laser is used to read and write the data.

DVD technology uses the dual-layering which increases the storage

capacity (not used in CD).
DVD saves much data and information, because there are two
individual recording layers are joined together.

Uses of CD-R and DVD-R

1- Home recordings (music)
2- To store and save data
Advantages of CD-R and DVD-R
1- Cheap
2- Once burned (and finalised) they behave like a ROM.
Disadvantages of CD-R and DVD-R
1- Recorded only once
2- Not all CD/DVD players can read CD-R/DVD-R.

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Uses of CD-RW/DVD-RW
1- Record television programmes
2- Used in CCTV systems.
3- Backup device for files and data

Advantages of CD-RW/DVD-RW
1- Can be written over many times.
2- Can use different file formats
3- Not as wasteful as R format (files/data can be added at a later
stage)

Disadvantages of CD-RW/DVD-RW
1- Expensive
2- Can overwrite data.

Uses of CD-ROM /DVD-ROM

1- Optical disks are read-only memory
2- CD-ROM is used to store music files and to store software,
computer games
3- DVD-ROM has much larger storage and is used to store films
4- CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs are used in applications to prevent
the deletion or overwriting of important data.

Advantages of CD -ROM /DVD -ROM

Less expensive
Disadvantages of CD -ROM /DVD -ROM
Slow data transfer rate/data access time

Blu-ray discs:

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Blu-ray discs are optical storage media.

They are different to DVDs in:

1- Construction
2- Carry out read/write operations.

The main differences between DVD and Blu-ray are:

1) A blue laser is faster than a red laser; to carry out Blu-ray read and
write operations.
2) The pits and lands are much smaller when Using blue laser light.
3) Dual-layer Blu-ray and normal DVDs both are more thick than
Single-layer Blu-ray discs.
4) Blu-ray disks automatically have a secure encryption system.
5) The data transfer rate for a DVD is slower than a Blu-ray disc.

Comparison of the capacity and interactivity of DVDs and Blu-ray

discs
Blu-ray devices allow greater interactivity than DVD devices.
A dual-layer Blu-ray disc has a storage capacity more than A single-
layer Blu-ray disc.

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A single -layer Blu-ray disc has a storage capacity more than A
standard -layer Blu-ray disc.

Disk type Laser colour

CD red
DVD (dual-layer) red
Blu-ray (single blue
layer)
Blu-ray (dual layer) blue

Uses of Blu-ray discs

1- Home video consoles.
2- Storing and playing back large movies.
3- Data storage or backing up hard drives.
4- Store movies.

Advantages of Blu-ray discs

1- Very large storage capacity
2- Very fast data transfer rate.
3- Greater data access speed
4- Has a secure encryption system Automatically

Disadvantages of Blu-ray discs

1- Expensive
2- Encryption problems

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 3- Introduction of HD (high definition) DVD players reduced the
using of Blu-ray disc technology.

3- Solid-state media and solid-state storage devices:

Solid-state technology solves the issue of Latency, because all the

data is retrieved at the same rate.
The solid-state technology stores data by controlling the movement of
electrons within NAND chips.
The data is stored as 0s and 1s in millions of tiny transistors.
it's a non-volatile rewritable memory (permement).
Devices that use solid-state technology: flash memories or flash
drives.

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Solid-State Drives (SSD):
Uses of SSDs
Storage device to store: files, applications, operating system, and so
on.
It becomes the main type of backing storage.
by using it laptop computers become thinner and much lighter.

Advantages of SSDs
1) More reliable (no moving parts to work).
2) Lighter in weight (suitable for laptops).
3) No need to ‘get up to speed’ before they work properly.
4) Lower power consumption.
5) Run much cooler than HDDs.
6) Very thin (because of no moving parts).
7) SSD data access time is faster than HDD.
8) Data transfer speed for SSDs is faster than for HDDs.

Disadvantages of SSDs
1) The main drawback of SSDs is the longevity of the technology.
SSD endurance: is the ability of SSD to store data per a day for a
time.
2) Still not used in all servers.

Pen drives:
Pen drives (memory sticks) are small portable devices that make
use of solid-state technology, which connect to the computer through
a USB port.

Their main advantage is:

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 1- They are very small
2- Lightweight portable devices
3- Transferring files between computers
4- Used as small backup devices for files and information.

Uses of memory sticks/pen drives

1) Transferring files between computers or using as a backing store.
2) Used as a security device to prevent software piracy (called a
dongle).

Advantages of memory sticks/pen drives

1) Very compact and portable media.
2) Very robust.
3) As a backup for data
4) Does not need additional software to work on computers.
5) Not affected by magnetic fields.

Disadvantages of memory sticks/pen drives

1) Cannot write protect the data/files by making it ‘read-only’ (cannot
be protected).
2) Easy to lose (the small size).

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3) Needs to be removed very carefully from a computer (incorrect
removal will corrupt the data on the memory stick and make it
useless).

Memory cards:
A memory card uses solid-state technology.
They can be inserted into a device which can read the card or allow
data to be written to the card.
The cards come in various memory sizes.
There are many available memory card formats, for example:
 SD cards (secure digital card)
 XD cards (extreme digital card)
 CFast card (compactfast card).

The XD card used in digital cameras.

The SD card very small card with high-capacity memory, used in
portable devices such as: digital video recorders, digital cameras,
audio players, smartphones and tablets.

The CFast card small that used in portable devices such as: (It has
no moving mechanical parts and does not need a battery to retain
data).
It’s used in digital photo and video cameras.

Uses of memory cards

1) Storing photos on digital cameras.
2) Used as mobile phone memory cards.
3) Used in MP3 players to store music files.
4) Used as a backing store in hand-held computer devices.

Advantages of memory cards

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 1) Very compact (easily removed and used in another device or for
transferring photos directly to a computer or printer).
2) Very durable (Because they are solid-state memories (and have
no moving parts)
3) Store large data.
4) Digital devices (compact cameras and smartphones) can read
and write to memory cards, allowing the user to transport
photographs, songs or information with them.

Disadvantages of memory cards

1) Expensive per gigabyte of memory (compared to hard disk drives).
2) Lower storage capacity than hard disks.
3) Have a finite life.
4) Can be lost, stolen or damaged (small size).
5) Not all computers come with memory card readers built in.

The future of storage devices:

Recently, both the CD and DVD are becoming old.
Many computer systems now come only with USB connectors and no
internal DVD or CD drive.
The main method of transferring files between devices has become
the flash memory.
Many people now store all their music in the following ways:

1) On hard disk drive systems.

2) In MP3 format on:
i. a computer/tablet
ii. their mobile/smartphone
iii. a portable music player (such as an iPod)
3) Using the cloud to store all their files so they can access their files.
4) By streaming their music from the internet.

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Many television sets are now set up as smart televisions.
This means it’s able to stream movies or television without the need
for any DVD or Blu-ray players.
The television set has become the central computer with a link to the
internet using a wireless connection.

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