Storage Devices

Angela Baskerville
Jessie Huynh
Michael Lucado
James Onley III
What is a storage device?

Any device on which data can be stored.

 Common Types of Storage Devices
 
FDD
HDD
Solid State vs. Magnetic
Optical Drives
CD/DVD/RW Blu-Ray
Removable Storage
Tape Drive
Solid State
External CD-RW
Hot Swappable &non hot swappable
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

•Invented by Reynold Johnson in 1956

•Used in the IBM 305 RAMAC accounting computer
•Actuator saves data to the platters magnetically 
•Most HDDs are connected to the motherboard using a 1 meter
SATA-device cable
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6wTZhsffEE
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
Solid State Drive (SSD)

•SSD technology has been around

since 1978
•Flash based SSD introduced by M-
Systems in 1995
•Uses non-volatile flash memory to
store data
•Volatile SSDs that use DRAM are also
available
HDD vs. SSD
 HDD vs. SSD
•HDD- •SSD-
–Cheaper –Faster data access
–Higher capacity (2-3 TB) –Less noise
–Faster write time  –Less power consumption
  –More reliable
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOo
W8v9UyTA
HDD vs. SSD

•HDDs have slower data access times due to the data

being fragmented on the hard disk
•Defragmenting data increases data access time
•Data saved on SSDs does not need to be read
sequentially so there is no need for defragmenting 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE__2gBxL9Y
 Floppy Disks
• Term “floppy disk” first used to refer to the 8” medium used
with mini-computers and mainframes
• Then was used to refer to the PC floppy diskette which used
a 5.25” platter – also called the minifloppy diskette.
• Now refers to the 3 1/2" floppy diskette – aka microfloppy
diskette.  This is the version that is used in computers today
if any floppy technology is used at all.
 
 Floppy Disks (cont.)

Floppy Drive Size    Tracks/Side    Sectors/Track    Capacity

5 1/4" DD                            40                        9               360KB
5 1/4" HD                            80                       15              1.2MB
3 1/2" DD                            80                        9               720KB
3 1/2" HD                            80                       18              1.44MB
3 1/2" ED                            80                       36              
2.88MB 
 
    
DD = Double Density
HD = High Density
ED = Extended Density
Floppy Disks (cont.)
• Floppy disk: magnetic storage
medium that uses a thin,
flexible plastic diskette
enclosed in a hard plastic
casing
• Before the advent of thumb
drives, enabled information to
be transported easily from
one computer to another.
• Too small for today’s
information needs, was
replaced by CD-ROMs and
DVD-ROMs, then by solid
state storage.
 Floppy Diskette Drives (FDD)

• Floppy diskette drive (FDD) is used to read and write

information from floppy disks.
 
• Pro: Allow portability of data
• Con:  Limited storage capacity.
            
• Even though the physical form factor is similar to hard
drives, the technology is incompatible and floppy disks can
only store one or two mbps of data 
 
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxhU0wXsKEM
 
Optical Drives

• Enables a computer to read different types of media discs

• Some drive can only read discs, but recent drives are both
reader and recorders
How Does an Optical Drive Work?

• Three layers: the plastic disc part on the bottom, a reflective

surface in the middle, and the top part of the disc, in which
protects the data itself.
 
 
 
Continued
• A laser focuses a beam of
light on the reflective layer
on the optical disc
• The beam focused on pits
is scattered, whereas on
lands it is reflected back
with higher intensity and is
stored in photo diode array
• Burning a CD, it involves
use of a mold to stamp
press the data in pits on
the reflective layer in the
disc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESpL
4a08kVE&feature=related
CD-Media

• CD-ROM
• CD-R was introduced in the mid-1990s
• Early CD-R drives requires that the entire disc be burned in
one session, which are called single-session drives
• Modern CD-R allow users to go back and burn additional
data until it is full, which are called multisession drives
• Once the data is burned onto the CD-R disc, the data
cannot be erased or altered 
• have two speeds that matter: record speed & read speed
o Ex: 8x24x
• Two types of CD-R disc:
o 74-minute disc that holds approximately 650 MB
o 80-minute disc that holds approximately 700 MB
CD-Media Continued

• CD-RW drives not only allows users to burn data onto a

disc, but to burn over existing data
o Three values:
 first shows the CD-R write speed
 second shows the CD-RW rewrite speed
 third shows the read speed
 example: 8x4x32x
DVD-Media

• Develop by a large consortium of electronics and

entertainment films during the early 1990s and released in
1995
• Lowest capacity- 4.37 GB of data or two hours of video
• Highest capacity-16 GB of data or more than eight hours of
video
• Uses smaller pits than CD-Media and packs them more
densely
• Comes in single-sided (SS) and double-sided (DS) format
• Comes in single-layer (SL) and dual-layer (DL) format
DVD Media Continued

• DVD-ROM
• Standard recordable DVD-Media
o DVD-R
o DVD-RW
o DVD+R
o DVD+RW
Blu-ray Media

• Developed by Sony
• Disc Capacity:
o Single-layer- 25 GB
o Dual-layer- 50 GB
• Types:
o Standard disc- 12cm
o Mini disc- 8cm
• BD-ROM
• BD-R
• BD-RE
Installing Optical Drives

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPRxY1-Zz58
 Tape Backup Devices
• Hard drives will fail - data
must be backed up onto
another storage medium Backup Tape Formats
• Older type of removable
storage Quarter Inch Cartridge (QIC)
• Can store large amounts Digital Linear Tape (DLT)
of data Eight Millimeter (Exabyte)
• Can be installed internally Digital Data Storage (DDS)
or externally Linear Tape-Open (LTO)
• Use tape magnetic tape
medium for storage
instead of disks
• Slow - used more for
archival storage
 External Disk Drives

USB-Attached eSATA-Attached
• Commonly manufactured • eSATA = external SATA
in their own chassis • Extends the SATA bus to
• Have detachable external devices at full
connectivity for speed
USB/FireWire • Connectors are different
• If power requirement high from internal SATA to
enough, may also have avoid confusion
power connection - if not,
USB connection provides
necessary power
• Speed is limited to approx.
50-60 MBps
Flash Memory    

Who?
Dr. Fujio Masuoka  
 
When?
1984 
 
Why it's important?
Flash Memory is usually
better than traditional memory
because it uses less power
and is more reliable
 Flash Memory cont.

Flash memory refers to a particular type of

EEPROM, or Electronically Erasable
Programmable Read Only Memory. It is a
memory chip that maintains stored information
without requiring a power source. It is often used
in portable electronics, like MP3 players, and in
removable storage devices.
 
Flash Memory Applications

• Computer BIOS
• Memory Sticks
• PCMCIA cards
• MP3 Players
• Modems
• Video Game cards
• Cell Phones
 
 

     Flash memory ≠ RAM

SD Memory

Who?
 SanDisk, Matsushita, and
Toshiba
 
When?
1999
 
Why it's important?
SD technology is used by
more than 400 brands across
dozens of product categories
and in more than 8,000
models.
SD Memory

•  MultiMediaCard Upgrade
• Card's electrical contacts are recessed beneath the surface
of the card
• SDSC, SDHC, SDXC
•  All SD card families have the same physical shape
•  Basic cards transfer data up to six times the data rate of the
standard CD-ROM speed (7.2 Mb/s vs 1.2 Mb/s).
•  Form factor has changed from SD, Mini SD, Micro SD
•  SD cards typically have transfer rates in the range of 80–
160 Mb/s
•  Other Flash Cards include: Compact Flash, Smart Media,
Memory Stick, xD Picture Cards
ThumbDrive or DiskOnKey

Who?
 Trek Technology and IBM
 
When?
2000
 
Why it's important?
Data stored on flash drives is
impervious to scratches and
dust
 
Various USB Designs
What's USB used for?

• Personal Data Transport

• Secure storage of data, application and software files
• System administration
• Application carriers
• Booting operating systems
• Brand and product promotion
• Backup
• Flash drives also store data densely compared to many
removable media
Disadvantages

• Unsupervised visitors or employees to store

and smuggle out confidential data with little
chance of detection.
• Vulnerable to  keyboard loggers or packet
sniffers.
• Deliberately or unwittingly to transfer malware
and autorun worms onto a network.
Hot-Swappable Devices

 A hot swappable device is one which can be attached or

detached from a computer or other electronic device without
having to reboot the computer.
The most common hot swappable devices are universal serial
bus (USB) devices. Many hot swappable USB devices have all
the necessary software built in to the device, so simply
plugging it in to the computer allows the computer to detect the
USB device and start working with it. Firewire is another
common interface used with hot swappable devices. eSATA
also.
Sources

• http://www.opticsetc.com/how-does-an-optical-drive-
work.html
• http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4683
• http://www.ncsu.edu/it/essentials/your_computer/
hardware_specs/optical_drive.html
• CompTIA A+ Certification by Mike Meyers
• http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2010/04/26/tribute-to-
floppy-disk-as-sony-discontinues-production/
• http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Anatomy-of-a-
Floppy-Disk-Drive/180/2
• http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/backing-tape-
drives,593.html
• http://www.pctechguide.com/
31HardDisk_SolidStateDrives.htm 
• http://compreviews.about.com/od/storage/a/SSD.htm
1)  What is the physical component where data are stored in a
      HDD?
 
    A.  Read/Write head
    B.  Platter
    C.  Sector
    D.  Cluster

Answer:  B.  Platter

A conventional HDD contains discs called platters, on
which data are stored magnetically through read/write
heads by way of a magnetic coating.
2)  High-density 3 ½” floppy diskettes have a formatted           
     capacity of:
    A.  360KB
    B.  720KB
    C.  1.44MB
    D.  2.88MB

Answer:   C.  1.44MB
3) Which of the following best describes the concept of           
    hot-swappable devices?
    A.  Power does not need turned off before the device is       
         inserted or removed.
    B. The device can be removed with power applied after the   
     device is properly stopped in the operating system.    
    C. Care must be taken when swapping the device because   
      it can be hot to the touch.
    D. The device can be swapped while still hot, immediately   
         after powering down the system.

Answer:   A
Hot-swappable devices can be removed while the power
to the system is still on.  Warm-swappable devices need
to be stopped in he operating system before being
removed.  The term has nothing to do with the heat level
of the device.
4)  What kind of media is most commonly used when large       
 amounts of data need to be archived on a regular basis?
    A.  Tape
    B.  Optical Drive
    C.  External hard drive
    D.  Floppy diskette

Answer:   A
Although inefficient as an interactive medium, sequential
tape-based storage continues to be developed in
increasing capacities.  Tape remains the best choice for
frequently backing up large amounts of data for
redundancy and archival purposes.
5)  What is the maximum cable length of an internal SATA       
     device?
    A.  2 meters
    B.  12 inches
    C.  18 inches
    D.  1 meter

Answer:  D
The maximum cable length of an internal SATA device is
1 meter.
6) To install a floppy drive as the A: drive, what must you do?
    A.  Attach the mini connector
    B.  Plug it into the end connector of the ribbon cable
    C.  Plug it into the middle connector on the ribbon cable
    D.  Attach the Molex connector

Answer:  B
Plug the floppy drive into the end connector of the ribbon
cable.
7)    If the floppy disk you used last week will not work today in
       your floppy drive, what should you do first to determine if   
       the problem is the drive or the disk?
    A.  Try another disk in the drive or try the disk in another       
         drive.
    B.  Open the computer and check the ribbon cable.
    C.  Replace the floppy drive.
    D.  Check the CMOS settings.

Answer:  A
Try another disk in the drive or try the disk in another   
drive.
8) Which term describes the capability to burn files to a CD-R   
    and then come back later and burn additional files?
    A.  MultiBurn
    B.  Multisession
    C.  MultiDrive
    D.  Multibuffer

Answer:  B
The term multisession describes the capability to burn
files to a CD-R and then come back later and burn
additional files.
9)    Which type of flash memory card is currently the most       
        popular?
    A.  CompactFlash
    B.  Memory Stick
    C.  Secure Digital
    D.  SmartMedia

Answer:  C.  Secure Digital

10)  A CD-RW has a speed rating of 12x10x32x.  What do the
          three numbers refer to, in order?
    A.  Write, rewrite, read
    B.  Read, write, rewrite
    C.  Rewrite, read, write
    D.  Write, read, rewrite

Answer:  A.  Write, rewrite, read