Storage

Devices
In this section, fill in the information below about each method of storage. Include relevant diagrams under each
heading. Delete this red text when youre done.

Magnetic Storage
Definition/Characteristics: Magnetic storage (or magnetic recording) is the storage of data on a magnetized medium.
Magnetic storage uses different patterns of magnetization in a magnetisable material to store data and is a form of
non-volatile memory.
How it works: Each head has a tiny electromagnet, which consists of an iron core wrapped with wire. The
electromagnet applies a magnetic flux to the oxide on the media, and the oxide permanently "remembers" the flux it
sees.
Examples of Devices/Media: zip disk, hard disk drive.

Solid State
Definition/Characteristics: is a non-volatile storage device that stores persistent data on solid-state flash memory
How it works: they use electrical current, rather than motors and magnets, to store data, they can access data
noiselessly and with less power consumption
Examples of Devices/Media: mobile phones, usb and ssd.

Optical
Definition/Characteristics:it stores its data on its own such as disk
How it works: a motor spins the disc in the drive super-fast while a laser attached to a servo reads data off of it
Examples of Devices/Media:disk

Advantages and Disadvantages

Fill in the table below. Use the internet to help you. Delete this red text when youre done.
Type of Storage

Typical Size

Uses

Advantages

Disadvantages

3-4tb

Store all data in a

computer system

They are very

large

They have got

moving parts and
can be damaged
easily.

3-5tb

Storage of
personal data and
backup

Large capacity
and cheap

Moving parts that

can be damaged

6-8

In backup servers.

Large capacity
and large ability

Only suitable for

backup

64-128gb

Portable personal
storage of files.

Portable personal
storage of files

Can be easily lost

and damaged.

32 -64gb

Cameras mobile
phone and tablets
for extra storage

Very small and

portable

Easily lost

Portable HDD

Magnetic Tape

Memory Stick

Flash memory
card

Storage Methods
Youve looked a lot at storage methods and what storage devices are used for. But you havent looked at how the
data is actually stored and accessed on a device.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is SEQUENTIAL storage/Access? Sequential access memory (SAM) is a class of data storage devices that
read their data in sequence. This is in contrast to random access memory (RAM) where data can be accessed in
any order.
2. Give one storage device/media that uses the sequential method of file storage. CD, hard disk , diskdrives
3. Give one advantage and one disadvantage of sequential method of file storage. You can access data anywhere
in the world.

4. What is Random Access? Is the ability to access data in any order

5. Give one storage device/media that uses the Random Access method of storage. printers
6. Give one advantage and one disadvantage of the Random Access method of storage. You can access it in any
order.

Backup
What is the definition of Backup? when you save files to somewhere that you download to something just in case
you lost the files.

What is the difference between Backup and Backing Storage? A backup copy basically a secondary copy of a file you
have on your computer. Backing storage would be a usb drive, NAS or tape drive used to store your file backups

Give two reasons why backups should be used/made