What is the process of saving information on a computer storage medium?
What Does Storage Mean?Storage is a process through which digital data is saved within a data storage device by means of computing technology. Storage is a mechanism that enables a computer to retain data, either temporarily or permanently. Show
Storage devices such as flash drives and hard disks are a fundamental component of most digital devices since they allow users to preserve all kinds of information such as videos, documents, pictures and raw data. Storage may also be referred to as computer data storage or electronic data storage. Techopedia Explains StorageStorage is among the key components of a computer system and can be classified into several forms, although there are two major types:
Storage is often confused for memory, although in computing the two terms have different meanings. Memory refers to short-term location of temporary data (see volatile storage above), while storage devices, in fact, store data on a long-term basis for later uses and access. While memory is cleared every time a computer is turned off, stored data is saved and stays intact until it’s manually deleted. Primary or volatile storage tends to me much faster than secondary storage due to its proximity to the processor, but it’s also comparably smaller. Secondary storage can hold and handle significantly larger sizes of data, and keeps it inactive until it’s needed again. Storage devices include a broad range of different magnetic, optical, flash, and virtual drives. They can be either internal (if they’re part of the computer’s hardware), external (if they are installed outside the computer), or removable (if they can be plugged in and removed without opening the computer). Storage also includes many forms of virtual and online storage devices such as cloud to allow users to access their data from multiple devices. Common storage devices that are in use or have been used in the past include:
After a software command is issued by the user, digital data is stored inside the appropriate device. Data size is measured in bits (the smallest unit of measure of computer memory), with larger storage devices being able to store more data. Storage capabilities have increased significantly in the last few decades, jumping up from the old 5.25-inch disks of the 1980s which held 360 kilobytes, to the modern hard drives which can hold several terabytes. Computers use a variety of data storage devices that are classified in two ways: one is whether they retain the data if there is no electricity and the other is how close they are to the processor (CPU). Both types of storage are needed in all computers. In a personal computer, memory does not retain data when the electricity is off, but while it is on, it enables quick access to open files. A storage drive, however, allows you to permanently store data, so it's available each time you turn on the computer. Volatile and non-volatile storageThe first classification of computer data storage is between volatile and non-volatile storage. An example of volatile storage is memory (RAM) that stores data only until there is no electricity powering the device. RAM allows your computer to have multiple files open and access any of them instantly. Some other examples of volatile storage devices are calculators. Non-volatile storage is storage that maintains the data even when there is no electricity powering the device. An example is a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD) that holds all of the data saved to your computer. There is other non-volatile storage, such as DVDs or flash drives. For more information about the difference between memory and storage, read here.
Storage hierarchyComputer data storage devices are also classified by their distance from the processor, or CPU. The closest storage is memory, or RAM. This is the only kind of data storage that directly accesses the CPU. Memory includes processor registers and the processor cache, but these are included on the memory module. Memory is volatile storage, so any information that goes into memory needs to be written to the main storage device to be retained permanently. Because data flows from memory to a storage device, it's considered secondary storage. For most personal computers, secondary storage is the main data storage device. A hard disk drive or solid state drive holds all of the data; files, photos, programs, music, and movies, that the user wants to keep. Removable, external media storage devices such as flash drives and read/writeable CDs and DVDs are also secondary storage. A computer can't function without a storage drive, however. The storage drive also holds all the information the computer needs to run. Tertiary storage is computer data storage that uses removable media, such as a tape drive, and it uses a robot to retrieve the data. This is rarely used in personal applications. ConclusionIn common use, the hard disk drive or solid state drive is usually referred to as the storage drive. Because memory is volatile, it's hard to think of it as a storage device. And because personal computers rarely use tertiary storage, the storage drive is the main, and frequently, only non-volatile data storage device on the computer. Learn more about the difference between hard drives and solid state drives. What is the process of storing information in the computer?Data is copied from the computer's main memory (random-access memory or RAM), and then written to the hard disk. The drive is the mechanical device that writes the data to the disk.
What is the storage medium of computer system called?Hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs) are now the primary forms of storage.
How the data are stored in storage medium?Data storage is the recording (storing) of information (data) in a storage medium. Handwriting, phonographic recording, magnetic tape, and optical discs are all examples of storage media. Biological molecules such as RNA and DNA are considered by some as data storage.
What is data storage device that saves the information on a medium?A hard disk drive or solid state drive holds all of the data; files, photos, programs, music, and movies, that the user wants to keep. Removable, external media storage devices such as flash drives and read/writeable CDs and DVDs are also secondary storage. A computer can't function without a storage drive, however.
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