Ch:03 Storage Devices and Media

What is backing up of data?

 Backing up refers to the copying of files and data to a different medium in case of a problem with the
main storage device.
 Backing up files and data on a regular basis is seen as good computing practice and many computer
systems can be set to back up files automatically on a regular basis.

Why back up data?

 Data could be lost due to failure of the original storage device, hardware failure
 Hackers may corrupt or even cause you to lose the data completely
 Viruses: usually caused by hackers to delete and destroy your data in a storage device
 Might need backup if files need to be used elsewhere - original files are then protected against possible
corruption or loss
However, backups do not necessarily guard against the effect of a virus - the virus could attach itself to the
files which could mean that the backups were also affected

Types of backing storage device:

There are two types of backing storage device:
1. Serial access backing storage device
2. Direct access backing storage device.
Serial access backing
Magnetic tapes
storage
Backing storage

Direct access backing Hard disk

storage

Types of access
Serial access:
 This type of access is the slower type because you have to go through everything one by one until
you reach what you want.
 If you want to watch a show that you recorded earlier, you have to rewind / fast-forward through all
other shows until you find it. (can’t just skip)
 The good thing is that when this type of access needs updating you can easily just add another
tape and merge the old one with the new.

Direct access
 Computer uses a key field to calculate where data has been stored
 It is then able to access the data directly from the calculated position
 Access is much faster than with serial access
 Used in applications where access speed is vital
 When updating media which uses direct access, the new data is written to the next available
location and its position is calculated using the built-in algorithm

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 RAM

Main/Primary

ROM
Memory

Secondary/auxiliary Magnetic Storage

Optical Storage

Solid State Storage

Backing storage media

1. Magnetic storage media:

Fixed Hard Disk / Internal Hard Disk:
 Available on all computers and is the main method used for data storage.
 Uses a read/write head to write and read data from it
 Disk surface coated in magnetic film, storage is done by altering binary codes to 1 or 0s.

Uses:
 Used to store operating systems and working data
 Used for storing application software
 Real time systems and online systems used fixed hard drives
 Used in file servers for computer networks

Advantages
 Very fast data transfer rate and fast access times to data
 Have very large memory capacities

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Disadvantages
 Can be easily damaged
 They have many moving parts
 Their read/ write operation can be quite noisy compared to SSDs.

Portable hard disk drives

Similar to hard disks but are usually connected via universal serial bus

Uses:
 Can be used as backup systems to prevent loss of data
 Can be used to transfer data, files and software between computers

Advantages:
 Data access time and transfer rate is very fast
 Large memory capacities
 Can be used to transfer information between computers

Disadvantages
 Can be easily damaged

Floppy disk drives

Uses:
 Used if small files need to be stored/transferred
 Older computers use this method of storage

Advantages:
 Using a CD to store a small file is often regarded as wasteful
 It is a very simple technology and are also extremely cost

Disadvantages:
 Very low memory capacity
 Old technology - not compatible with modern computer
 Slow data transfer
 Not very robust

Magnetic tapes:
 Thin strip of plastic which is coated in a magnetic layer
 Read and written by read/write head
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Uses:
 Application where batch processing is used
 Used as a backup media

Advantages:
 Generally less expensive and very robust technology
 Data transfer rate is fast

Disadvantages:
 Access time is very slow
 When updating another tape is needed

2. Optical Storage Media:

CD-ROM and DVD-ROM:

 Read only memory - cannot be overwritten
 Data is stored as a series of pits and lands formed by a laser beam etching the surface at
manufacturing stage

Uses:
 Store music files and software.
 Very large storage capacity and are used to store films.

Advantages:
 Holds more data than floppy disks
 Less expensive than hard disk drives

Disadvantages:
 Data transfer rate and data access time are slower

CD-R and DVD-R:

 The letter ‘R’ means the disc is recordable only once and then it becomes ROM
 Use a thin layer of an organic dye as the recording media
 DVDs also use an additional silver alloy or gold reflector
 Laser beam produces heated spots and unheated spots

Uses:
 They are used for home recording of music (CD-Rs) and films (DVD-
Rs)
 They are used to store data for later use
 Used in applications where it is necessary to prevent the deletion or over-writing of important data

Advantages:
 Cheaper than RW disks
 Once burned (and finalized) they are like ROM

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Disadvantages:
 Can only be reordered once
 Not all CD/DVD players and can read CD-R

CD-RW and DVD-RW:

 ‘RW’ means that these disks are re-writable media can be written over several times
 Unlike CD-R/DVD-R they don’t become ROMs
 The recording layer uses a special phase-changing metal alloy
 The alloy can switch between crystalline and amorphous (non-crystalline) phases, thus changing its
reflectivity to light, depending on the laser beam power
 Spots are produced which can be read by a laser
 System allows data to be written, erased and re-written many times

Uses:
 CD-RWs and DVD-RWs are used to record radio and television programs
 They are used in closed circuit television (CCTV) systems

Advantages:
 Can be re used many times
 Different file formats can be used each time
 Less wasteful than R format since files or data can be added at a later stage

Disadvantages:
 Relatively expensive media
 Possible to accidentally overwrite

DVD-RAM:
 Recent addition to optical media group
 Unlike other CD and DVD formats, DVD-RAMs have several discrete concentric tracks rather than a
single spiral track
 Gives them advantage that writing and reading can occur at the same time
 Makes it possible to watch an already recorded television program at the same time as a different
program is being recorded
 Recording layer is made from similar phase-changing material to that used in RW technology
 Shiny and dull marks represent data to a computer where they are interpreted

Uses:
 DVD-RAMs are used in recording devices such as satellite receivers to allow simultaneous
recording and playback
 They are used in camcorders to store films

Advantages:
 Have a long life (30 years)
 Can be re written on more than the DVD-RWs (100,000 times)
 Very reliable as they have built in verification software to ensure accuracy of
data
 Access is very fast
 No need to finalize the disk
 Very large capacities
 Ability to read and write data at the same time
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Disadvantage:
 DVD-RAMS are not as compatible as R or RW, many systems will not recognize this format
 More expensive than DVD-RW

Blu-ray disks:
Uses:
 Blu-ray disks are used in home video consoles
 Used for storing and playing back films
 PCs can use this technology for data storage or backing up hard drives
 Camcorders can use this media to store film footage

Advantage:
 Very large storage capacity
 Data transfer rate is very fast
 Data access speed is faster than with other optical media

Disadvantage
 Disks are relatively expensive
 Blu-ray disks still have encryption problems

3. Solid state:
 Solid state systems control the movement of electrons within a microchip: if the transistor conducts
a current, this is equivalent to a 1, otherwise it is a 0
 Have no moving parts, consume much less power and are extremely robust
 Used primarily as removable storage devices and are collectively known as flash memory

Memory sticks/pen drives:

 Can store several GBs of data and use solid state technology
 Connected to a computer through USB port and power to operate drawn from host
computer
 Some expensive software increasingly use these storage methods as a form of security

Uses:
 Used to transport files between computers
 Used as a security device - a dongle - to prevent software piracy

Advantage:
 Very compact and portable media
 Very robust

Disadvantage:
 Not possible to write protect the data and files
 Small physical size and are easy to lose.

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Flash memory cards:
Are a form of electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) and are another
example of solid state memories

Uses:
 Used to store photos on digital cameras
 Mobile phones use them as memory cards
 Used in MP3 players to store music
 Used as a backup in hand held devices

Advantages:
 Very compact
 Very robust

Disadvantages:
 Very expensive per Gb of memory when compared to hard drive disks
 Has a finite life in terms of the number of times they can be read from or written to
 Lower storage capacity than hard disk

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 Comparing different storage media
Volume of data
Very large Fixed hard disks
storage capacity Portable hard disks
Magnetic tapes
Large storage Memory sticks/pen drives
capacity Flash memory cards
Blue-ray/HD DVD
DVD-ROM
DVD-R
DVD-RW
DVD-RAM
Limited storage CDs
capacity

Speed of data access

Very fast Flash memory cards
Memory sticks and pen drives
Fast Fixed hard disks
Portable hard disks
All CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray
Slow Magnetic tape

Portability
Very portable Flash memory cards
Memory sticks/pen drives
All the CDs and DVDs
Less portable Portable hard disks
While some tapes are small others are large
Not portable Fixed hard disks

Robustness
Very robust Memory sticks/pen drives
Flash memory cards
Robust but might CD-ROM, DVD-ROM
damage in some CD-R, DVD-R
circumstances HD-DVD, Blu-ray
Robust but may CD-RW, DVD-RW
lose data if DVD-RAM
wrongly used BD-RE (Rewritable Blu-ray)
Portable hard drive
Magnetic tape
Very fragile if Fixed hard drive
moved

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 Cost
Low cost CDs, DVDs
HD-DVD/Blu-Ray
Medium Cost DVD-RAM
Memory sticks/Pen drives
Flash memory cards
Expensive Magnetic tape
Portable hard drives
Fixed hard drives

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