Data Storage Flashcards
What is data storage?
It is a critical technology enabling the encoding, preservation, and retrieval of information.
What are the types of data storage?
-HDD
-SSD
-Magnetic tape (oldest)
-Cloud
-NAS
-Flash memore (USB/SD)
What is a Network Attached Storage (NAS)?
It provides centralized, scalable data storage accessible over a network. Designed for ease of use, NAS systems feature web based management for remote configuration, making them suitable for both personal and business applications. With scalable storage, enhanced data security, and cost efficiency, NAS is an essential solution for modern data management needs. NAS systems are standalone appliances connected to a network. They come equipped with their own operating system and are configured via a web based interface. NAS units vary in size, from units as small as a home router to large rack mounted systems offering storage capacity that can scale from a few terabytes to several petabytes.
What are Magnetic disks aka Hard Disk Drives (HDD)?
They are a type of data storage device that utilizes magnetic storage principles to record and retrieve digital information. The core component of an HDD is its platters—circular disks coated with a magnetic material. These platters spin at high speeds while read/write heads, positioned on an armature, move across their surface to access data.
What is a Solid State Drive (SSD)?
It has revolutionized data storage with their flash memory technology and the absence of moving parts. This innovation has led to significant improvements in speed, reliability, and durability over traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs).
What is Flash Memory (USB/SD)?
It is a staple of modern digital storage, is utilized in USB drives, SD cards, and various other portable devices. This non-volatile memory type can retain stored data without power and can be electronically erased and reprogrammed.
What is a Serial ATA (SATA)?
It is a computer bus interface that connects host bus adapters to mass storage devices such as hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), and optical drives. Introduced as a replacement for the older AT Attachment standard (ATA), SATA offers several advantages over its predecessor, including a reduced cable size and cost, faster data transfer rates, and more efficient use of airflow within the case.
SATA is the dominant interface for connecting storage devices inside personal computers.
SATA supports data transfer rates up to 6 Gb/s (SATA III), which translates to a maximum throughput of around 550MB/s after accounting for overhead. This speed is sufficient for the majority of HDDs and some SSDs, offering a balance between performance and cost.
What is Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe)?
Overview: PCIe is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard that attaches hardware devices to a computer’s motherboard. It replaces older standards like PCI and AGP, offering a more efficient and faster communication system.
Performance: PCIe’s performance is superior to that of older interfaces like SATA, mainly because it provides higher data transfer rates. Its scalability comes from using multiple lanes; each lane increases the overall bandwidth, allowing devices to communicate faster with the motherboard.
Applications: PCIe slots are used to connect a wide range of devices, including high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs), graphics cards, network cards, and more. The interface is crucial for high-demand applications like gaming, video editing, and server environments where high data throughput and low latency are required.
What is Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe)?
Overview: NVMe is a storage protocol designed specifically for SSDs to capitalize on the speed of PCIe connections, providing a faster and more efficient interface than SATA. It is optimized for the high parallelism in modern CPUs and SSDs, significantly improving response times and throughput.
Performance: NVMe drives are significantly faster than SATA SSDs, offering reduced latency and increased throughput. This speed advantage makes NVMe ideal for tasks requiring rapid data access and transfer, enhancing overall system performance.
Applications: NVMe is predominantly used in high-end PCs, gaming systems, and enterprise data centers. Its ability to handle extensive read/write operations swiftly makes it suitable for applications where speed is crucial, including real-time data processing, high-performance gaming, and large-scale data analytics.
