Secondary Storage Flashcards
(31 cards)
What is primary storage?
Memory areas that the CPU can access very quickly, including CPU registers, cache, ROM, and RAM.
Primary storage has the fastest read/write speeds and is mostly volatile.
What defines secondary storage?
Non-volatile storage where all data (operating systems, applications, user files) is stored when not in use.
Examples include magnetic hard disk drives, solid state drives, CDs, and SD cards.
What is tertiary storage used for?
Storing data more long-term, mainly for archives and backups of massive amounts of data.
A typical example is a magnetic tape library.
What is a characteristic of hard disk drives (HDDs)?
Traditional internal storage in PCs and laptops made up of a stack of magnetized metal disks spinning at high speeds.
Speeds range between 5400 and 15000 rpm.
How is data stored in a hard disk drive?
Data is stored magnetically in small areas called sectors within circular tracks.
Read/write heads on a moving arm access sectors on the disks.
What is the purpose of portable HDDs?
To back up and transport large amounts of data.
What are solid state drives (SSDs)?
Storage devices with no moving parts, often using flash memory.
Used for the same purpose as HDDs — for internal storage.
How do SSDs compare to HDDs in terms of read/write times?
SSDs have significantly faster read/write times than HDDs.
What are hybrid drives?
Drives that use solid state storage for the OS and programs, and a hard disk for data.
What types of devices use flash-based solid-state storage?
USB pen drives and memory cards (e.g., SD cards).
They are slower than SSDs and have a shorter read/write life.
List advantages of HDDs.
- Cheaper
- Higher capacity
- Longer read/write life than SSDs
List advantages of SSDs.
- Faster
- Don’t need defragmenting
- More shock-proof
- Silent operation
True or False: SSDs are generally cheaper than HDDs.
False
Fill in the blank: HDDs are generally ______ than SSDs.
cheaper
What are examples of optical discs?
CDs, DVDs, Blu-Ray™ discs
Optical discs are used for data storage and distribution.
What is the data capacity of CDs?
Around 700 MB
CDs are one of the types of optical discs.
What is the data capacity of DVDs?
Around 4.7 GB
DVDs provide more storage than CDs.
What are the three forms of optical discs?
- Read-only (e.g., CD-ROM / DVD-ROM / BD-ROM)
- Write-once (e.g., CD-R / DVD-R / BD-R)
- Rewritable (e.g., CD-RW / DVD-RW / BD-RW)
These forms determine how data can be written and read from the discs.
How is data stored on optical discs?
As microscopic indentations on the shiny surface of the disc
Data is read by shining a laser beam on the surface.
Why is the use of optical discs declining?
- Increased Internet speeds
- Streaming services like Netflix® and iTunes®
- Modern devices lack optical drives
- Low capacity per disc
- Slow read/write speeds
- Poor reliability of RW discs
These factors have led to a preference for other storage solutions.
What are some advantages of optical discs?
- Very cheap per GB
- Portable
- Not damaged by water or shocks
However, they can be easily scratched.
What are magnetic tapes used for?
Archiving
Magnetic tapes are often used by large organizations for data storage.
What is the storage capacity of magnetic tapes compared to HDDs?
Much greater storage capacity
Magnetic tapes are often used for large-scale data storage.
What is the typical form of magnetic tapes?
Plastic cassettes containing reels of tape
They require a special tape-drive for read/writing.
