[IGCS] Types of Storage Devices

[IGCS] Types of Storage Devices

The three types of storage in computer

• Primary Storage

• Secondary Storage

• Offline Storage

Primary Storage

• Also calls main memory

• To hold data and program that is currently in use

• Two main types of primary storage: RAM and ROM

Fill in the Blanks

What is the full name of RAM?

Multiple Select

Which of the followings are TRUE about RAM?

• Temporarily stores data

• Volatile memory

• Non-volatile memory

• Data is read only

• Very Fast data access

Multiple Select

Which of the followings are TRUE about ROM?

• Contains startup instruction for a computer

• Volatile memory

• Non-volatile memory

• Data is read only

Speed of storage

• When we say speed of storage device, there are two measures:

• Data Transfer: usually measured in bytes per second, how fast to transfer sequential data to/from storage media

• Data Access: the time (e.g. in millisecond) taken to locate the data within the storage media

For example

Magnetic Tape is very fast in terms of data transfer speed, which can achieve 500MB/s in writing data, but it is also very slow in Data Access, since the drive need to physically roll the reel to where the data is stored

Secondary Storage

• Non-volatile

• Long Term storage

• Example include HDD, SSD

Offline Storage

• The storage medium needs to be inserted when data is needed

• Sometimes called removable media / storage

• 
  

Multiple Choice

What is the type of storage for the HDD inside a PS5?

• Primary

• Secondary

• Teritary

• Offline

Multiple Choice

Users can buy a disc for new games, what is the type of storage for the game disc?

• Primary

• Secondary

• Teritary

• Offline

Types of storage media

• Magnetic

• Optical

• Solid State

Magnetic Tape

• Offline Storage

• Slow data access, but fast sequential access

• Very cheap in terms of the storage media

• Large capacity (both price and size)

• Great for large company for backup of data

Open Ended

List some Optical Storage Devices

Solid State Drive

• Solid State drive stores data with Integrated circuits (IC)

• No mechanical moving parts - thus called Solid State

• Expensive compare to magnetic / optical

• Usually fast

• Reliable, robust <- no moving parts

Multiple Select

USB Flash drive is:

• Primary storage

• Secondary storage

• Magnetic

• Offline storage

• Solid State

Multiple Select

A DVD Disc is...

• Primary storage

• Secondary storage

• Optical

• Offline storage

• Solid State