STORAGE DEVICES

 A storage device refers to a computing hardware used to store information permanently or temporarily.
 The device can be external or internal to a computer.

Two Types of Storage Devices:

1. Primary Storage Device
2. Secondary Storage Device

Secondary storage device

 A secondary storage device has a larger storage capacity and can store data permanently. The device
can be both external and internal to a computer and includes; compact disk, USB drive, hard disk, etc.
 Can be removable, internal or external.

Primary storage device

 A primary storage device is quite smaller in size and it’s designed to capture or hold data for a temporary
period. Most primary storage devices are found inside the computer, and they have the fastest access
to data. Examples of Primary devices include Cache memory and RAM.

Examples of Computer Storage

 Magnetic Storage Device
 Optical Storage Device
 Flash Memory Devices
 Online and Cloud Devices

Magnetic Storage Devices

 Today, magnetic storage is one of the most common types of storage used with computers and is the
technology that many computer hard drives use.

 Floppy diskette
 Hard drive
 A non-volatile memory hardware device that permanently stores and retrieves data on a
computer.

 Magnetic strip
 Contain information about an individual such as available credit on a credit card or pass codes
for entering secure buildings.

 Tape cassette
 A magnetically thin coated piece of plastic wrapped around wheels capable of storing data.

 Zip diskette
 A hardware data storage device developed by Iomega that functions like a standard 1.44" floppy
drive and diskette.

Optical Storage Devices

 Another common storage is optical storage, which uses lasers and lights as its method of reading and
writing data.

 Blu-ray disc
 An optical disc format developed by thirteen consumer electronics and PC companies.

 CD-ROM disc
 Short for Compact Disc-Read Only Memory
 An optical disc which contains audio or software data whose memory is read only.
 Can store up to 25 GB single-layer disc and 50 GB on a dual-layer disc.
  CD-R disc
 Alternatively referred to as a cd writer, CD-WO (Write once), WORM (Write Once Read Many)
drive.
 CD-R is short for CD-Recordable.
 A writable disc and drive that is capable of having information written to the disc once and
then having that disc read many times.
 Data cannot be deleted from a CD-R disc and a CD-R disc cannot be formatted.

 DVD-R disc
 Short for Digital Versatile Disc-Recordable.
 A drive capable of recording once to a disc and reading many times after it has been
created.

 DVD+R disc
 Short for Digital Versatile Disc-Recordable.
 A technology that enables a user to read and write to a DVD+RW or DVD+R disc several times.

 DVD-RW disc
 Short for DVD-ReWritable.
 A re-recordable DVD format similar to CD-RW or DVD+RW.
 The data on a DVD-RW disc can be erased and recorded over numerous times without
damaging the medium.

 DVD+RW disc
 Short for Digital Versatile Disc-Read/Write.
 A DVD+RW Alliance standard much like CD-RW and DVD-R. With DVD+RW you can read and
write to a DVD+RW or DVD+R disc several times.

Flash Memory Devices

 Flash memory has started to replace magnetic media as it becomes cheaper as it is the more efficient
and reliable solution.

 Usb Flash Drive, Jump Drive, or Thumb Drive

 A portable storage device.
 It is often the size of a human thumb, and it connects to a computer via a USB port. Flash drives
are an easy way to store and transfer information. They are available in sizes ranging from
2 GB to 1 TB.

 Memory card
 Alternatively referred to as a Flash Memory Card.
 A type of storage media that is often used to store photos, videos, or other data in electronic
devices.
 SSD
 Short for Solid-State Drive or Solid-State Disk.
 a drive that uses non-volatile memory as a means of storing and accessing data.

Online and Cloud

 Storing data online and in cloud storage is becoming popular as people need to access their data from
more than one device.

 Cloud storage
 A type of Storage that requires the use of internet.

Why is storage needed in a computer?

 Without a storage device, a computer cannot save or remember any settings or information and would
be considered a dumb terminal.
  Although a computer can run with no storage device, it would only be able to view information unless it
was connected to another computer that had storage capabilities. Even a task such as browsing the
Internet requires information to be stored on your computer.

Why so many different storage devices?

 As computers advance so do the requirements for storage space and the technologies used to store
data. Because people need more and more space, want it faster, cheaper, and want to take it with
them new technologies have to be invented. When new storage devices are designed, as people
upgrade to those new devices the older devices are no longer needed and stop being used.

References:

https://www.cleverfiles.com/howto/what-is-storage-device.html
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/s/stordevi.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/h/harddriv.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/m/magncard.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/t/tape.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/b/bd.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/cdrom.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/cdr.htm
https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DVD_RW.html
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/d/dvdr.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/j/jumpdriv.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/m/memocard.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/s/ssd.htm
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/cloudcom.htm