STORAGE DEVICES

Storage devices are hardware components

used to store data. They retain digital
information used by computers and other
electronic devices.
Secondary Storage devices can be internal or
external, permanent or temporary, and are
essential for saving and retrieving data.
Secondary Storage devices can be classified
based on various criteria such as Data Access
method, storage capacity, cost e.t.c
In this presentation we will classify them based on
data access methods.
Access Method
► Sequential Access: Data is accessed
sequentially from start to end (e.g., tape
drives).
► Direct Access: Data can be accessed
randomly from any location (e.g., hard disk
drives, SSDs).
Direct Access Storage Devices
(DASD)
Direct Access Storage Devices (DASD) are storage
devices that allow data to be accessed directly without
having to go through other data sequentially.
This means data can be read or written in any order,
making DASD efficient for tasks that require rapid access
to specific pieces of information.
Examples:
• magnetic disks: HDD, Floppy disks
• optical disks: CD-ROM, Blu-ray, DVDs
• flash memory: Memory cards, flash drives, SSD
Magnetic Disks
a. Hard Disks (HDDs)
Hard Disk Drives are data storage devices that use
magnetic storage to store and retrieve digital
information using one or more rigid rapidly rotating
disks (platters) coated with magnetic material.
o Internal Non-Removable Hard Disks: installed
inside a computer’s system unit and serve as the
primary storage for desktop and laptop
computers.
o Portable Hard-Drive Systems: Also known as
external hard drives, these are designed to be
portable Commonly used for backing up data
Characteristics: High storage capacity, relatively fast
data access speeds, mechanical parts prone to wear
and failure.
Inside the HDD
Actuator Arm: The actuator arm moves the read/write heads
across the platters. It is controlled by an actuator, which
positions the heads precisely over the correct track.
Structure of a magnetic disk
Read/Write Heads: Positioned on both sides of each platter, these
heads move back and forth across the platter surfaces to read and
write data. They hover just above the platter surfaces without
touching them.
► Platters: Circular disks coated with a magnetic material. Data
is stored magnetically on these platters. Each platter has two
surfaces for storing data.
► Spindle: The spindle holds the platters and rotates them at
high speeds, typically measured in revolutions per minute
(RPM).
► Track: A track is a narrow recording band that forms a full
circle on the surface of the disk.
► Cluster: A group of one or more sectors
b. Floppy Disks
Floppy disks are magnetic storage media
composed of a thin and flexible magnetic
storage disk encased in a square or rectangular
plastic shell.
► Characteristics:
► Low storage capacity
► slow data access speed
► largely obsolete.
Optical Disks
An optical disc consists of a flat, round, portable
disc made of metal, plastic, and lacquer that is
written and read by a laser
Typically store software, data, digital photos,
movies, and music
Types of optical disks
► CD (Compact Disk)
► DVD (Digital Versatile Disk)
► Blu-ray Disc
Optical disk formats..
Memory storage devices
► Flash Memory Cards
► Used in devices like cameras, smartphones, and tablets.
► Examples: SD cards, microSD cards, CompactFlash.
► Flash Memory Stick
► USB flash drives, portable and easily connectable to
computers via USB ports.
► Used for data transfer and storage.
► Flash Memory Drive
► Flash memory is a type of non-volatile storage that can be
electrically erased and reprogrammed.
► SSDs provide significantly faster read and write speeds
compared to magnetic disks.
► Often refers to USB flash drives.
► Non-volatile storage, retains data without power
SERIAL ACCESS STORAGE
DEVICES (SASD)
Serial Access Storage Devices (SASD) are storage
devices where data is accessed sequentially, meaning
data is read or written in a linear fashion from the
beginning to the end of the storage medium.
► Tape-Based Storage: SASD is commonly associated
with tape-based storage technologies, where data
is written sequentially along the length of a tape.
► SASD devices are often used for backup, archiving,
and long-term storage where fast random access is
not critical.
Magnetic Tape Drives:
► Traditional tape drives where data is stored on magnetic tape
reels.
► Data is accessed sequentially by moving the tape past
read/write heads.
► Tape storage requires sequential access,
which refers to reading or writing data
consecutively.
► As with a music tape, you must forward or
rewind the tape to a specific point to access
a specific piece of data.
► For example, to access item W requires
passing through items A through V
sequentially
 Advantages:
► High Capacity: Tape drives can store large amounts of
data, making them suitable for backup and archival
purposes.
► Tape storage is often cheaper per unit of storage
compared to disk-based storage.
► Suitable for long-term archival due to the stability of tape
media.
Disadvantages:
► Accessing specific data may be slower compared to
random access devices like hard drives or SSDs.
► Not ideal for applications requiring frequent random
access to data.
MODERN STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES
Online Secondary Storage
► Storage solutions accessed via the internet, such
as cloud storage services. Cloud storage is an
Internet service that provides storage to
computer users

► BENEFITS OF ONLINE STORAGE

► Ability to access data from anywhere.
► ability to share files among different users.
 Storage Area Network (SAN)
► A SAN (Storage Area Network) is a special high-speed network
that connects servers to storage devices (like hard drives or disk
arrays) in a way that makes the storage appear like it is directly
attached to the server.
► SANs are typically composed of hosts, switches, storage
elements, and storage devices that are interconnected using a
variety of technologies, topologies, and protocols. SANs may
also span multiple sites.
► A SAN presents storage devices to a host such that the storage
appears to be locally attached. This simplified presentation of
storage to a host is accomplished through the use of different
types of virtualization.
SAN
RAID (Redundant Array of
Independent Disks)
► A data storage technology that combines multiple
hard drives into a single unit for redundancy,
performance improvement, or both. RAID levels
include RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and more.
► RAID0 requires a minimum of two disks
► RAID 1 (Mirroring) Minimum Disks: Data is duplicated across
two or more disks, providing high redundancy. If one disk
fails, the other can be used to recover the data.
•RAID 0: 2 disks
•RAID 1: 2 disks
•RAID 5: 3 disks
RAID 0 (Stripping)
► In RAID 0 system data are split up into blocks that get written across all
the drives in the array.
► By using multiple disks at least 2 at the same time, this offers superior
input or output performance.
► This performance can be enhanced further
► By using multiple controllers, ideally one controller per disk.
Advantages of RAID 0
► RAID 0 offers great performance both in read and write operations
► All storage capacity is used, there is no overhead
► The technology is easy to implement
Disadvantages of RAID 0
► RAID 0 is not fault tolerant. If one drive fails, all data in the RAID 0 array
are lost. It should not be used for mission-critical systems
RAID 1(Mirroring)
► Data are stored twice by writing them to both the data
drive(or set of data drives) and a mirror drive(or set of
drives).
► If a drive fails, controller uses either the data drive or the
mirror drive for data recovery and continuous operation.
► You need at least 2 drives for a RAID 1array

Advantages of RAID 1
► RAID 1 offers excellent read speed and a write speed
that is comparable to that of a single drive.
► In case a drive fails, data do not have to be rebuild they
just have to be copied to the replacement drive.
► RAID 1 is a very simple technology
Disadvantages of RAID 1
► The main disadvantage is that the effective storage
capacity is only half of the total drive capacity because all
data get written twice.
► Software RAID 1 solutions do not always allow a hot swap of
failed drive. That means the failed drive can only be
replaced after powering down the computer it is attached
to.
RAID 5(stripping with parity)

► RAID 5 is a way of storing data across three or more hard

drives to improve performance and protect against data
loss.
► Data is split and stored across all the drives.
► One part of each set is used for “parity,” which is like a
special formula that helps rebuild data if one drive fails.
► If one drive fails, the system uses the parity information
from the other drives to recover the lost data.
► You get more storage space than RAID 1 and still have
protection.
Advantages of RAID 5:
► Data Protection – If one drive fails, your data is still safe and can be rebuilt using
parity.
► Good Read Performance – Reading data is fast since it can read from multiple
drives at the same time.
► Cost-Effective – Offers a good balance between performance, data protection,
and storage capacity.

Disadvantages of RAID 5:
► Slower Write Speeds – Writing data is a bit slower because it has to calculate and
write parity information.
► Rebuild Time – If a drive fails, rebuilding it takes a long time and can slow down
the system.
► Complex Setup – More complicated to set up and manage compared to basic
RAID levels.
 Clustering
The use of multiple servers (or nodes) to work together as a single system.
Clustering enhances performance and provides redundancy and high
availability.
Advantages
• If one node fails, others can take over, ensuring continuous
availability of services.
• Scalability: New nodes can be added to the cluster to handle
increased loads without significant reconfiguration.
Disadvantages
• High Cost
Setting up a server cluster requires multiple servers, shared storage,
and specialized software, which can be expensive to purchase
and maintain.
• Complex Setup and Management
Server clustering is technically complex. It requires skilled IT
professionals to install, configure, and monitor the cluster.