Chapter 7: Storage

Memory Versus Storage

What is storage?

Media and devices used to store and retrieve data, instructions, and information

How does storage differ from memory?

(Memory is also called primary storage or RAM)

Storage (also called secondary storage):

Stores items for future use, rather than temporarily

Storage is nonvolatile, rather than volatile

When you want to work with a file, you read it from storage and place it in memory

When you are finished with the file, you write it from memory into storage

How does volatility compare?

Screen display and contents of most RAM (memory) erased when power is off

Contents of storage retained when power is off

What is a storage device and a storage medium?

Storage device
o Hardware that records and retrieves items to and from a storage medium

Storage medium
o Physical material on which a computer keeps data, instructions, and information

What is reading and writing?

Reading
o Process of transferring data, instructions, and information from a storage medium into
memory
o

Serves as a source of input

Writing
o Process of transferring items from memory to a storage medium
o Serves as a source of output

What is access time?

Amount of time it takes device to locate item on disk

Defines speed of disk storage device

o Tape (slowest, least expensive)
o Floppy Disk
o Compact Disc
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o Hard Disk
What is capacity?

Number of bytes (characters) storage medium can hold

o Kilobyte KB 1 thousand
o Megabyte MD 1 million
o Gigabyte GB 1 billion
o Terabyte TB 1 trillion
o Petabyte PB 1 quadrillion

Floppy Disks
What is a floppy disk?

Portable, inexpensive storage medium

Todays standard disk is 3.5 wide

HD (High Density disk) Stores 1.44MB

What are the parts of a floppy disk?

Thin, circular, flexible film enclosed between two liners

How are floppy disk drives designated?

One floppy drive

o

drive A

Two floppy drives

o drive A
o drive B

How does a floppy disk drive work?

1: Shutter moves to expose recording surface on disk

2: Signal sent to control movement of read/write heads and disk

3: If write instruction, circuit board verifies whether disk can be written to

4: Motor causes floppy disk to spin

5: Motor positions read/write heads over correct location on disk

6: Read/write heads read data from or write data on the floppy disk

What are tracks and sectors?

Track is narrow recording band that forms full circle on disk surface

Sector can store up to 512 bytes of data

o 80 tracks per side X 18 sectors per track X 2 sides per disk X 512 bytes per sector =
1,474,560 bytes = 1.44 MB

What is formatting?
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Process of preparing disk for reading and writing

Formatting marks bad sectors as unusable

How do you care for a floppy?

Proper care helps maximize disks life

Floppy disk can last at least seven years

o Never open the shutter and touch the disks recording surface
o Avoid exposure to heat and cold
o Avoid exposure to magnetic fields
o Avoid exposure to contaminants such as dust, smoke, or salt air
o Keep disks in a storage tray when not using them

What is a write-protect notch?

Small opening with a cover that you slide

Protects floppy disks from being erased accidentally

o notch open means you cannot write on the disk
o notch closed means you can write on the disk

High-Capacity Disks
What is a high-capacity disk drive?

Uses disks with capacities of 100 MB and greater

Primarily used to backup files and transfer files

o Zip drive
o Uses a Zip disk that can store 100 MB or 250 MB of data

What is a backup?

Duplicate of file, program, or disk that you can use if original is lost, damaged, or destroyed

Hard Disks
What is a hard disk?

High-capacity storage (20 100 GB)

Consists of several inflexible, circular platters that store items electronically

Components enclosed in airtight, sealed case for protection

How does a hard disk work?

1: Circuit board controls movement of head activator and small motor

2: Small motor spins platters

3: When software requests disk access, read/write heads determine location of data

4: Head actuator positions read/write head arms over correct location on platters to read or write data
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What is a cylinder?

Location of a single track through all platters

Single movement of read/write head arms can read same track on all platters

What is a head crash?

Occurs when read/write head touches platter surface

Spinning creates cushion of air that floats read/write head above platter
o clearance between head and platter is approximately two millionths of an inch
o gap is half the diameter of a dust particle

What is a disk cache?

Portion of memory processor uses to store frequently accessed items

What is a partition?

Formatted hard disk divided into separate areas called partitions

Each partition functions as if it were a separate hard disk drive

Designation for first partition or for a single partition on hard disk

o drive C

Designation for second partition on hard disk

o drive D

What is a removable hard disk?

Disk drive in which a plastic or metal case surrounds the hard disk so you can remove it from the
drive

Used for backup or to transfer files

How does RAID work?

Disk system that duplicates data, instructions, and information to improve data reliability ensuring
that data is not lost if one drive fails
o Mirroring has one backup disk for each disk
o Striping stores data across multiple disks

What Windows utilities maintain a hard disk drive?

Backup

Disk Cleanup

Disk Defragmenter

Scheduled Tasks

What is an Internet hard drive?

Service on Web that provides storage to computer users

o Most offer free storage
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o Revenues come from advertisers

What are advantages of an Internet hard drive?

Large audio, video, and graphics files can be downloaded to an Internet hard drive instantaneously

Files can be accessed from any computer or device with Web access

Others can be authorized to access data from your Internet hard drive

Allows offsite backups of data

Compact Discs
What is a compact disc (CD)?

Storage medium

Most PCs include some type of compact disc drive

Available in variety of formats

o CD-ROM
o CD-R
o CD-RW
o DVD-ROM

DVD+RW

How do you use a compact disc?

CD drives can read compact discs, including audio discs

How does a laser read data on a compact disc?

1: Laser diode shines light beam toward compact disc

2: If light strikes pit, it scatters. If light strikes land, it is reflected back toward laser diode.

3: Reflected light deflected to light-sensing diode, which sends digital signal of 1. Absence of
reflected light read as digital signal of 0.

How is data stored on a compact disc?

Typically stores items in single track

Track divided into evenly sized sectors that store items

Single track spirals to edge of disc

What is a jewel box?

Protective case for compact disc

How should you care for a compact disc?

CD-ROMs
What is a CD-ROM?

Compact disc that uses same laser technology as audio CDs for recording music

Cannot erase or modify contents (can only be read)

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Typical CD-ROM holds about 650 MB

Commonly used to distribute software and games

What is the data transfer rate of a CD-ROM drive?

40X
o 40 X 150 KB per second = 6,000 KB per second or 6 MB per second

75X
o 75 X 150 KB per second = 11,250 KB per second or 12.25 MB per second

CD-R and CD-RW

What is a CD-R (compact disc-recordable)?

Compact disc onto which you can record text, graphics, and audio

Write on CD-R (only once) using CD burner (recorder)

CD-R drive can read and write both audio CDs and standard CD-ROMs

Cannot erase discs contents

What is a CD-RW (compact disc-rewritable)?

Erasable disc you can write on multiple times

Must have a CD-RW disc, CD-RW software, and CD-RW drive

How is an audio CD created?

DVD-ROMs
What is a DVD-ROM (digital video disc-ROM)?

High capacity compact disc capable of storing from 4.7 GB to 17 GB (telephone book for USA)

Must have DVD-ROM drive or DVD player to read DVD-ROM

Primarily used for movies

Next-generation software will be delivered on DVD

How does a DVD-ROM store data?

Two layers of pits are used, where lower layer is semitransparent

o Laser can read through it to upper layer

Bits are closer together

Can be double-sided

DVD+RW is a rewritable DVD (similar to CD-RW)

4.7 GB 17 GB

Tapes
What is tape?

Magnetically coated ribbon of plastic capable of storing large amounts of data and information at a
low cost
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Primarily used for backup

What is sequential access versus direct access?

Sequential access
o Reading and writing data consecutively
o Method used for tape

Direct access
o You can locate a particular data item or file immediately
o Method used for floppy disks, hard disks, and compact discs
o Also called random access

Enterprise Storage Systems

What is an enterprise storage system?

Strategy that focuses on availability, protection , organization, and backup of storage in a company
o RAID
o Tape Library
o CD-ROM jukeboxes

PC Cards
What are uses of PC Cards?

Used for notebook and mobile computing:

o Type I RAM, flash memory
o Type II Modem, Sound
o Type III Hard disk

Miniature Mobile Storage Media

What is miniature mobile storage media?

Handheld devices use to augment internal storage

o Memory Card
o Memory Stick

How is miniature storage media used?

Handheld devices, such as players and wallets, read or display contents of miniature storage media
such as memory cards

Digital cameras

Notebook computers

Cellular telephone

What is a smart card?

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Stores data on thin microprocessor embedded in credit card

What are the types of smart cards?

Intelligent smart card contains processor and has input, process, output, and storage capabilities

Memory card has only storage capabilities

o Store data such as photographs, music, books, and video clips
o Store a prepaid dollar amount that is updated when the card is used
o Store patient records, vaccination data, and other healthcare information
o Store tracking information such as customer purchases or employee attendance

What is electronic money?

Means of paying for goods and services over the Internet

Also called e-money or digital cash

Microfilm and Microfiche

What are microfilm and microfiche?

Store microscopic images of documents on a roll or a sheet of film

Images recorded using a computer output microfilm (COM) recorder

o Microfilm

Uses a 100- to 215-foot roll of film

o Microfiche

Reduces paper

Inexpensive

Uses a small sheet of film, usually 4 x 6

How do life expectancies of various media compare?

Microfilm/Microfiche longest life expectancy

Summary
What are suggested storage devices for the Home user?

3.5-inch HD floppy disk drive

250 MB Zip drive

40 GB hard disk

Internet hard drive

CD-ROM drive

CD-RW/DVD drive

What are suggested storage devices for the SOHO user?

3.5-inch HD floppy disk drive

60 GB hard disk
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Internet hard drive

CD-ROM drive

CD-RW/DVD drive

20 GB Peerless drive

What are suggested storage devices for the Mobile user?

3.5-inch HD floppy disk drive

10 GB hard disk

1 GB PC Card hard disk

Internet hard drive

CD-RW/DVD drive

What are suggested storage devices for the Large Business user?

3.5-inch HD floppy disk drive

80 GB hard disk

CD-ROM drive

CD-RW/DVD drive

Microfilm or microfiche

Smart card reader

RAID

Tape drive

Enterprise storage system

What are suggested storage devices for the Power user?

3.5-inch HD floppy disk drive

DVD+RW drive

100 GB hard disk

CD-ROM drive

Internet hard drive

20 GB Peerless drive

Chapter 7 Complete

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