Storage devices Flashcards
1
Q
what is a storage device
A
- peripheral device used for storing, backing up and sharing data.
2
Q
what is a hard disk drive
A
- magnetic storage devices used as the primary internal storage device but can be external
3
Q
advantages and disadvantages of hard disk drives
A
Advantage:
- large storage capacity
- low cost on a per byte basis
- very reliable
Disadvantages:
- slower than SSDs at loading data
- external HDDs are not portable as some other options
4
Q
what is a solid state drive
A
- flash memory devices commonly used as the primary storage in portable computing devices e.g. tablets and laptops
5
Q
what is a SD card
A
- small flash memory cards that are commonly used for storage in digital cameras and some smartphones
6
Q
advantages and disadvantages of SD cards
A
Advantage:
- very small and portable
- easy to transfer between devices with SD card readers
Disadvantages:
- very small storage capacity generally around 64gb (greater capacity is costly)
- various enhancements leading to potential compatibility problems e.g. SDHC and SDXC
7
Q
what is USB drive
A
- small flash memory devices that connect through a USB port
8
Q
advantages and disadvantages of USB drive
A
Advantages:
- extremely portable device
- compatible with most computer systems via USB ports
Disadvantages:
- they are small so it can be lost easily
- storage capacity is low when compared to SSDs and HDDs
- they have a finite number of writes before they break
9
Q
what is a optical disk
A
- these are CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray disks which are used for software, music and movies
10
Q
advantages and disadvantages of optical disks
A
Advantages:
- small and portable
- many devices are able to be to read optical disks
Disadvantages:
- fragile and easy to damage
- costs more per byte basis
11
Q
what is magnetic tape
A
- this is used for large data backups
12
Q
advantage and disadvantage of magnetic tape
A
Advantages:
- very large storage capacity
- very cheap on a per byte basis
Disadvantages:
- data is accessed serially which is very slow
- requires specialist equipment for recording and reading data.
