Storage

Devices
In this section, fill in the information below about each method of storage. Include relevant diagrams under each
heading. Delete this red text when youre done.

Magnetic Storage
Definition/Characteristics: it stores data in the form of tiny magnetised dots and is made up of rust also known as
iron oxide. They are manipulated using magnetic fields made by very tiny electromagnets
How it works: It stores data in the form of tiny dots and are manipulated using magnetic fields
Examples of Devices/Media: hard disk drive, portable/external hard disc drive and magnetic tape

Solid State
Definition/Characteristics: It essentially means no moving parts; the storage saved on solid state is also rewritable
How it works: Information is stored on a series of memory chips
Examples of Devices/Media: Memory sticks, flash memory cards, SSDs ( solid state drives-a replacement for HDD)

Optical
Definition/Characteristics: Optical storage is the storage of data on an optically readable medium. Data is recorded
by making marks in a pattern that can be read back with the aid of light, usually a beam of laser light precisely
focused on a spinning disc.
How it works: it stores data by making marks in a pattern
Examples of Devices/Media: CDs

Advantages and Disadvantages

Fill in the table below. Use the internet to help you. Delete this red text when youre done.
Type of Storage

Hard Disk Drive

Typical Size

Uses

Advantages

Disadvantages

Is around 3-4TB

Used to store all

data in a
computer system

Very cheap and

very large
capacity

They are very

slow
And have moving
parts and are
easily damaged

1-2 TB

You can transfer it

to different
computer and
backup up more
files anywhere

Portable

6-8 TB

Back stuff up to
tape

Large reliability

Is only suitable for

back up

64-128GB

Backs up files etc.

Small and
portable

They can be easily

lost and damaged

32-64 GB

Used in phones
and cameras

Very small in size

relatively large
capacity

Can be easily lost

and damaged

Portable HDD

Magnetic Tape

Memory Stick

Flash memory
card

Very large
capacity

have moving
parts and are
easily damaged

Storage Methods
Youve looked a lot at storage methods and what storage devices are used for. But you havent looked at how the
data is actually stored and accessed on a device.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is SEQUENTIAL storage/Access? In computer science, sequential access means that a group of
elements (such as data in a memory array or a disk file or on magnetic tape data storage) is accessed in a
predetermined, ordered sequence. Sequential access is sometimes the only way of accessing the data, for
example if it is on a tape.
2. Music data and back up tape
3. You can only access them in the same order and they store files in sequence

4. What is Random Access? When you access anything anywhere like a short cut but you can go straight to
what you want without any order
5. DVDs because you can forward and jump to the scene you want and RAM
6. It can be easily accessed and you can have wasted space if many fields in the record are left blank

Backup
What is the definition of Backup? It is an exact copy of data stored from the original

What is the difference between Backup and Backing Storage? Backing is permanent in a computer but back up is
what you use only when you lose work

Because if you get viruses and lose all your work you can access it by back up