Flash Memory / Solid State Memory

Flash memory is a non-volatile, solid state storage device.(i.e. keeps its data without power and
has no moving parts).

Flash memory is increasingly being used in a wide range of devices. Some examples include:

 Small, lightweight USB memory sticks, available for many Gigabytes.

 Memory cards for digital cameras.
 Main internal storage for tablet computers (SSD)
 Digital audio players.
 Mobile phones.
 Video game hardware.

Flash memory offers very fast access to data and programs. However, retrieving data from an
external flash memory device such as a USB stick would be slower than an internal hard disk
because the speed of access is restricted by the USB link or connection.

With the development of tablet computers, flash memory is used as the main form of internal
storage because there is no room for a traditional hard disk. These disks are called SSD (solid
state storage). In this case, access to the data stored in flash memory would be much faster than
from a hard disk because there are no moving parts involved.

Currently, the down side to using flash memory as the main storage method is that it has a
limited number of read/write cycles which limits its useful life span.

Flash memory, when packaged in a "memory card", is very resilient to damage, unlike many
other storage devices. It can withstand extremes of temperature, being immersed in water or
being accidentally dropped.
 Properties of flash memory devices

Property Notes

Type of storage Solid state

Data access Direct access

More expensive per byte of storage than hard disk, magnetic tape, CDs
Cost of storage
and DVDs

Capacity 2 gigabytes upwards.

As an external storage device, it is slower than an internal hard disk. It is

faster than magnetic tape, CDs and DVDs.
Speed
If it is used as internal storage, it then becomes faster than an internal
hard disk.

Portability Very portable as it is designed to be fitted into small electronic devices.

Very durable. Resistant to pressure, temperature extremes and accidental

damage.

Durability It has a limited number of read/write cycles which limits its useful life

The part of a USB stick which is inserted into the USB port can be
snapped off or damaged rendering the device unusable.

Reliability Usually very reliable.

Solid State Drive (SSD)

What is a solid state drive?

Solid state drives are non-volatile storage devices capable of holding large amounts of data.

They use NAND flash memories (millions of transistors wired in a series on a circuit board),
giving them the advantage of having no mechanical moving parts and therefore immediate
access to the data.

Solid state drives perform faster then traditional hard disk drives, however they are significantly
more expensive.

This expense means that typical capacities are usually measured in Gigabytes (GB).

They can be installed inside a computer or purchased in a portable (external) format.

Until we reach a point were large capacity SSDs are affordable, a compromise is to run two disk
drives inside a computer.  An SSD as the primary drive for your important programs
and operating system, and a traditional HDD to store music, documents and pictures (which
don’t need the faster access times).

The lack of moving parts in an SSD makes it very robust and reliable, ideal for a portable device.

Typical applications for solid state drives

 Smartphones
 Tablet computers
 High-end laptops
 Two drive desktop solutions
 Portable drives are sometimes used in HD video cameras

Benefits of solid state drives

  Extremely fast read/write speeds
 Small in physical size and very light, ideal for portable devices
 No moving parts to wear, fail or get damaged – ideal for making portable computers and
devices more reliable and durable
 Uses less power than a HDD, increasing battery life time
 Very quiet
 Generates less heat

Drawbacks of solid state drives

 Expensive to buy (per GB)

 Limited in capacity due to the expense
 Limited amount of writes

Data Storage Capacity

Data storage capacity is the measurement of how much data can be stored in a storage device.

Bits and bytes

Data storage capacities are measured in bytes, where each byte is actually a pattern of 8 bits.

1 byte = 8 bits (e.g. 10011011)

Each bit is represented by either a 1 or a 0 (on or off), also known as binary code.

1 byte can hold 1 character of data, e.g. “p” is 1 byte.

As technology improves, it is becoming cheaper to achieve higher data storage capacities.

Cloud Computing

The cloud is simply a metaphor for the Internet.

Cloud computing is storing and accessing data or programs through the Internet.

Utilizing cloud computing gives the flexibility of working anywhere where you can get an online
connection.

This is in contrast to how data and programs are normally accessed, which is locally through
your computer’s hard drive (or network).

This means being committed to the physical device or network where your work and programs
are saved.

Cloud computing is big business.  It requires a solid infrastructure that can deal with the huge
amounts of processing needed to make it work efficiently.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

SaaS is the name given to software that is delivered through the Internet, and usually accessed by
a web browser.

It is usually provided on a subscription basis.

Having the application managed by the third party provider ensures your software is always up-
to-date, and means fewer technical issues to deal with locally.

SaaS is in total contrast to software that is traditionally purchased outright (e.g. on a disc) and
installed locally on the hard drive.

Examples include:

 Google Apps
 MailChimp
 Office Online
 Dropbox

Advantages of SaaS:

 Reduction in money and time spent on software upgrades

 Available on any device, anywhere with an Internet connection

Concerns about SaaS:

 Downtime, e.g. planned maintenance schedules (that may not be convenient) or cyber
attacks
 The security regarding the transfer of sensitive data over the Internet
 Lack of control over the software, e.g. appearance, scheduled updates etc
 Vendor Lock-In, e.g. is your data exportable to other providers should you wish to
change

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

Resources made available as a cloud based service.

IaaS services include storage, networking, processing and virtualization.

Businesses can purchase resources on-demand, never needing to actually buy or maintain the
hardware.

This provides a highly flexible and scalable solution where hardware can be paid for based on
the current needs of the business or project.

Examples include:

 Rackspace
 Amazon Web Services (AWS)
 Microsoft Azure
 Cisco Metapod

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

PaaS are hardware and software tools available over the Internet.

PaaS is used to provide a platform for software creation.

Using PaaS allows developers to focus on coding their applications and not worry about the OS,
storage or hardware.

It also allows many users to work on the same project together, and provide tools to help test and
deploy applications.

Examples include:

 Windows Azure
 Google App Engine