Chapter 11

Record, File and Storage Design

 DATA STORAGE MEDIA
 a device for recording (storing) information (data). Recording can be done using virtually any form
of energy. A storage device may hold information, process information, or both

TYPES OF STORAGE MEDIA

 Magnetic Storage Media

 Most widely used means of storing large volumes of data
 Store data that has been converted from source documents to electrical pulses
 Methods of magnetic storage:

 Floppy Disk Storage

- an inexpensive and convenient means of storing relatively limited amounts of data
- manufactured in a variety of sizes including 8”, 5 ¼” and 3 1/2”
- can hold from 160,000 to almost two million characters, depending upon the type
- must be handled carefully, since data can be lost if the disk is exposed to magnetic fields,
damaged, or otherwise mishandled
- known as random access (data can be retrieved without searching every record in sequence)

 Hard Disk Storage

 can hold millions of characters of data, which are recorded on the disk on tracks
 data can be received instantaneously
 can store 90 million characters or more of data

 Magnetic Tape Storage

 Data may be stored on reels of magnetic tape
 The tape measures one half inch and is wound on reels in length of 1200 feet and 2400 feet
 Reel of tape is placed on a tape drive, where read. Write heads encode information or read
data already recorded
 Sequential access medium because the tape must be searched in sequence until the
desired record is located
 Example: Philips type cassettes and tape cartridges

 Optical Storage Media

 Laser beam optical storage system
 Data is recorded on the tracks on the surface of plastic or metal disks
  Data is read off the disk by a laser beam that senses the stored information
 Not subject from erasure from magnetic fields

 Solid State Media

- Any memory device with no moving parts and are based on electric circuits
- Known as “flash memory”
- Examples: micro SD / memory cards, flash drives, solid state hard drives

 SELECTION OF DATA STORAGE MEDIA

- Variables that should be considered when designing a storage system

 Cost
- Depends on the space available for storage and the amount of data to be stored
 Permanence
- Degree of permanency and protection caries with the storage medium
 Activity
- Frequency with which a file is accessed
 Legal Considerations
- legality or validity of the form in which data is saved on a storage medium must be considered in designing
a system
 Accessibility
- Degree of difficulty involved in retrieving documents or data from storage
 Access Time
- Time required to locate a given record in a file
 Security
- Possible degree of security and document protection