Storage Devices

Storage Devices

1. Solid State

   • Advantages
     • It is very portable compared to other storage technolgies e.g. a USB memory stick compared to a CD or hard disk
       • It is faster to access the data from, compared to a magnetic hard disk
         • It is robust. There are no moving parts, unlike a magnetic hard disk, and so it is less likely to be damaged.
   • Disadvantages
     • SSD are expensive compared to an equivalent magnetic hard drive
       • Solid state storage has a limited number of erase/write cycles.

2. Magnetic

   • Advantages
     • Huge storage capacity – measured in terabytes (TB)
       • Cheapest out of the three storage technologies in terms of storage per gigabyte
       • Data can be stored for a long period of time
   • Disadvantages
     • Magnetic fields can corrupt /damage the stored data
     • Hard disks have mechanical moving parts. These can be damaged or wear out over time
       • It is slower to access data from than media using flash technology e.g. solid state disk
     • Not as portable as other storage technologies: It is physically larger e.g. a hard disk is bigger than a CD. If is integrated into a computer e.g. hard disk, then it would have to be physically removed to carry it with you

3. Optical

   • Advantages
     • Media is very portable, especially when compared to a hard disk
       • It is inexpensive when only a small amount of data needs to be stored e.g. less than 10GB
         • It is immune to magnetic fields, unlike magnetic media where the data can be damaged
   • Disadvantages
     • The media is not as robust as magnetic or solid state alternatives. Disks can easily be scratched or broken.
       • It is slower to write to than other types of media. It is also slower to access data from, compared to a magnetic or solid state hard disk.
         • Although it is inexpensive for storing small amounts of data, the cost would be prohibitive for storing terabytes of data