3. Storage Devices and Media

Question 1

Characteristics, uses, media, advantages and disadvantages of storage device: magnetic

Answer 1

a) Characteristics
- Uses magnets to store data
- Stores binary 0s and 1s
- Non-volatile media

b) Advantages
1. High storage capacity
2. Low cost per GB
3. Moderate read/write (R/W) access speed

c) Disadvantages
1. Damaged if dropped
2. Less portable
3. Prone to mechanical failure
4. Loud noise

Question 2

Characteristics, uses, media, advantages and disadvantages of storage device: optical

Answer 2

a) Characteristics
- Uses lasers to burn the disk surface
- Stores binary 0s and 1s
- Non-volatile media

b) Advantages
1. Very low cost per GB
2. No moving parts (durable)
3. Good portability
4. Silent

c) Disadvantages
1. Very low storage capacity
2. Very slow R/W access
3. Prone to scratches

Question 3

Characteristics, uses, media, advantages and disadvantages of storage device: solid-state

Answer 3

a) Characteristics
- Uses electronic circuits to store data
- Stores binary 0s and 1s
- Non-volatile media

b) Advantages
1. High storage capacity
2. Very fast R/W access speed
3. No moving parts (durable)
4. Good portability
5. Silent

c) Disadvantages
1. Very high cost per GB
2. Limited read/write cycles (reliability issue)

Question 4

Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of storage media: Magnetic drives including magnetic hard disks, magnetic tape

Answer 4

1. Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
   - Use: General-purpose storage in computers and servers
   - Advantages: Large capacity (5TB), relatively fast
   - Disadvantages: Moving parts, vulnerable to physical damage
2. Portable Hard Disk Drive
   - Use: External storage for data transfer and backup
   - Advantages: Portable, large capacity (5TB)
   - Disadvantages: Slower than SSDs, vulnerable to physical damage
3. Magnetic Tape
   - Use: Backup and archiving large data volumes
   - Advantages: High capacity (10TB), low cost
   - Disadvantages: Slow access time, sequential access only

Question 5

Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of storage media: Optical discs including CD, DVD, Blu-ray

Answer 5

1. CD (Compact Disc)
   - Use: Audio/data storage, software distribution
   - Advantages: Affordable, widely compatible
   - Disadvantages: Low capacity (700MB), prone to scratches
2. DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)
   - Use: Higher capacity storage
   - Advantages: Higher capacity than CD (8.5GB), affordable
   - Disadvantages: Susceptible to scratches, lower capacity than Blu-ray
3. Blu-ray Disc
   - Use: High-definition video and data storage
   - Advantages: High capacity (50GB), high-res video storage
   - Disadvantages: Expensive, needs specific hardware

Question 6

Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of storage media: Solid-state media including memory cards (SD, xD, CFast)

Answer 6

1. Solid State Drive (SSD)
   - Use: Fast internal storage for modern computers
   - Advantages: Fast access, no moving parts, high capacity (30TB)
   - Disadvantages: Expensive, limited write cycles
2. Portable Solid State Drive
   - Use: Fast external backup and data transfer
   - Advantages: Fast access, portable, high capacity (2TB)
   - Disadvantages: Expensive, limited write cycles
3. USB Memory Stick
   - Use: Portable data transfer for various devices
   - Advantages: Small size, fast R/W speed, high capacity (1TB)
   - Disadvantages: Limited capacity compared to others
4. Flash Memory (SD/XD)
   - Use: Used in smartphones/digital cameras
   - Advantages: Very small, durable, large capacities
   - Disadvantages: Easy to lose, expensive per GB compared to HDD