Chapter 3 – Storage Devices and Media

Storage Media – Use of Storage Media

Task 1: Identify the most suitable storage media.

Questions 1: Jose needs to make a copy of his school work?

Recommend the storage USB
media:

Advantage for using this Can be easily carried everywhere

storage Media:

Questions 2: Pablo wants to format his computer however he needs to back up most of the files on
his hard drive?
Recommend the storage SSD
media:

Advantage for using this faster access time, and lower power consumption over hard disk
storage Media:
drives.

Questions 3: The movie industry wants to sell High Definition movies?

Recommend the storage Blu ray
media:

Advantage for using this Display high deficiency image on sceeen

storage Media:
Task 2 – Backing Storage Media
Magnetic Storage Media
Types General Uses and benefits
including performance
Fixed Hard drive hard-drives act as the main backing
storage device almost in all computers
and some perivious versions of laptop. It
a way more cheaper than other sources
of Storage Media. Therefore it can store
mass amount of data.
Portable Hard Disk These devices work in much same way as
fixed HDD but are usually connected to
computer via USB. Other than backing up
data they are also used to transfer data
from one computer to another.
Floppy Disk The floppy disk is a removable magnetic
storage medium. Floppy disks are used
for moving information between
computers, laptops or other devices.
Some early digital cameras, electronic
music instruments and older computer
game consoles use floppy disks.
Magnetic Tapes Magnetic tape drives store data
on magnetic tape using digital recording.
The tapes are usually stored on
cartridges or cassettes, but
for drives that are used as data storage
tape backups, the tape is often wound
on reels.
Advantages
• Have faster data transfer
rate and fast access time to
data.
• They have large memory
capacities.
• Have faster data transfer
rate and fast access time to
data.
• They have large memory
• Data can be easily
transferred from one to
another PC.
• They are cheap. A floppy
disk is not as expensive as
a hard drive.
• Easy to handle and
transport (portable).
• They have a
write protection which
protects your data from
accidental deletion.
• no limit on data, easy to
access
• Less expensise
• It is very robust teconology
15 minutes
Disadvantages
• Read and write operation
is quiet noisy because of
several moving parts
• Can be easily damaged
• Incorrect shutdown can
lead to loss of data.
• Thay can be easily
damaged if dropped.
• Can be stolen easily
• Limited storage capacity. 
• Slow data transfer rate.
• Sensitive and It is easily
damaged when exposed to
heat and dust.
• Slow to Find Data. 
• Susceptible to Physical and
Environmental Damage.
Task 2 – Backing Storage Media 15 minutes

Optical Storage Media

Types General Uses and benefits including Advantages Disadvantages
performance
CD ROM/DVD A type of CD disc that can only be read, but • Hold far more data than • Data transfer rate is slower
not recorded. Used to store programs and floppy disks • Data acess rate is also slower
ROM data files • They are less expensive
than hard disk drives

CD R/DVD R Stands for "Compact Disc Recordable." CD- • Cheaper than RW disks • Once it is written it could not
R discs are blank CDs that can record data • Once burned, no be rewritten
written by a CD burner. The word changes can be made to • All DVD and CD players don’t
"recordable" is used because CD-Rs are them support CD R/ DVD R
often used to record audio, which can be
played back by most CD players.

CD RW/DVD RW  CD RW/ DVD RW is a Compact disc that • Can be written over
many times
• Can be relatively expensive
• It is possible to accidently
can be recorded and erased multiple times.
It can hold data or music. • Can be different file overwrite data
formats each time it is
used

DVD RAM DVD-RAM provides the capabilities of • They have long life • Not as compatible as R or
Rewriteable CD (CD-RW) - users can run • It is possible to rewrite RW format; many system
programs from the discs, copy files to them • They have built in won’t recognize the DVD
and rewrite or delete them. verification software RAM format
• Relatively expensive

Blu-ray Blu-ray is an optical disc format such as CD • Very large storage • Relatively expensive
and DVD. It was developed for capacity • Encrption might cause
recording and playing back high-definition • Blu ray dics problems sometimes.
(HD) video and for storing large amounts of automatically comes
data. It is most often used for playback of with a secure encryption
high-definition (HD) video.  • Very fast data transfer
rate.
Task 3 – Backing Storage Media 15 minutes

Solid state Storage Media

Types General Uses and benefits including Advantages Disadvantages

performance

USB Stands for "Universal Serial Bus." USB is • Portable (Can easily • Portable so can be easily
the most common type of computer taken everywhere) stolen
port used in today's computers.It can • Very robust
be used to connect keyboards, mice, • They are not affected • Incorrect removal will
game controllers, printers, scanners, by magnetic fields corrupt the data on the
digital cameras, and removable media • Don’t need additional memory stick, rendering it
drives, etc. software to work in useless
most of computer

Flash Memory A flash memory card (sometimes called
a storage card) is a small storage device
Cards that uses nonvolatile semiconductor
memory to store data on portable or
remote computing devices. As well as
digital cameras, memory cards are
commonly used in mobile phones to
store information like photos and music,
as well as in camcorders to store
video. Memory cards are also used in
other consumer electronic devices such
as televisions, portable game devices,
printers, DVD recorders and more.
• Very compact and can • Have an infinte life
be easily removed and regarding the number of
used in other device. times they can be read from
• Since they are solid or written to
state memories, they • Have lower storage capacity
are very robust as compared to hard disks.
• Expensive per GB of
memory compare to hard
drive disks.