Storage+Devices+and+Media

=**Section 3 Storage Devices and Media**=

Candidates should be able to: a) Describe common backing storage media (including magnetic tapes, hard disks, all forms of CDFloppy Disk and DVD, memory sticks, flash memory) and their associated devices; b) Identify typical uses of the storage media, including types of access (e.g. serial/sequential, direct/random) and access speeds;


 * = ===Media=== ||< ===Use=== ||= ===Student in===

charge
|| Magnetic storage uses different patterns of magnetization on a magnetically coated surface to store information. Magnetic storage is non-volatile. The information is accessed using one or more read/write heads which may contain one or more recording transducers. ||= Natasha || -Flash Memory Cards ||< Smallest form of memory, used as removable storage. More robust than other forms of storage. More expensive than other forms but can be easily written to and updated ||= Amina ||
 * = Magnetic backing storage media ||< <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN-GB; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin; text-align: center;">
 * Floppy disks ||  || Hussein/ tanweer ||
 * = Fixed hard discs ||< Used to store operating systems, software and working data. Any application which requires very fast access to data for both reading and writing to. Not for applications which need portability. Used for online and real time processes requiring direct access. Used in file servers for computer networks. ||= Roisin ||
 * = Portable hard discs ||< A disk drive that is plugged into an external port on a computer such as USB or FireWire. Typically used for backup, but also as secondary storage ,For laptops, the PC Card slot may be used to connect a cable to a full-size drive ||= Hassan ||
 * = Magnetic tapes ||< Any applicatin wich requires extremely large storage capacity where speed of access is not an issue. Uses serial access for reading and writing. Used for backups of file servers for computer networks. Used in a variety of batch processing applications such as reading bank cheques, payroll processing and general stock control. ||= Frank ||
 * = Optical backing storage media such as:CDs and DVDs ||< Cds tend to be used for large files (but smaller than 1Gb) which are too big for a floppy disc to hold such as music and general animation. DVDs are used to hold very large files (several Gb) such as movie films. Both CDs and DVDs are portable i.e. they can both be transported form one computer to another. Both can be used to store computer data. ||= Xana ||
 * = CD ROM/DVD ROM ||< Applications which require the prevention of deletion of data, accidental or otherwise. CDs used by software companies for distributing software programs and data; by music companies for distributing music albums and by book publishers fo distributing encyclopaedias, reference books etc. DVDs used by film distributors. ||= Safwaan ||
 * = CD-R and DVD-R ||< Applications which require a single 'burnig' of data e.g. CDs- recording of music downloads from the internet, recording of music from MP3 format, recording of data for archiving or back up purposes. DVDs- recording of film movies and television programs. ||= Michaela ||
 * = CD RW DVD RW ||< Applications wich require the updating of information and ability to record over old data. Not suitable for music recording but is very useful for keeping generations of files. DVDs have between five to ten times the capacity of CDs. ||= Naaila ||
 * = DVD RAM ||< The DVD-RAM is much better than other recordable DVD media in many ways whether it’s a question of reliability, quality, speed or ease of use. It has always been the leading rewriteable format in consumer set-top box recorders and is growing rapidly in the PC space, especially laptop computers and now desktop PCs due to companies like HP. ||= Natasha and pempho ||
 * = HD DVD ||< An HD DVD is a disc that has been formatted to store High definitin data such as Videos and Games. ||= Adnaan ||
 * = Blu-ray ||< Capacities of 25Gb, 50Gb and 100Gb. Used for storing films (movies). 25Gb equates to 2 hrs HDTV, 13hrs standard definition TV. It is possible to playback video on a disc while simultaneously recording HD video. (Will be) used for storage of PC data. ||= Maria ||
 * = Solid state backing storage- Memory sticks or pen drives
 * = Memory sticks/Pen drives ||< Can store up to many Gb. Used to transport files and backup data from coputer to computer ||= Azra ||
 * = Flash memory cards ||< Used in digital cameras, palmtops, mobile phones, MP3 players. ||= Amber ||
 * c) Comparative advantages & disadvantages of using different backing storage media || Used to see what type of backing media is the best. || Bill & Hun ||
 * d) Ba​ckup & the need for taking backup || Backup refers to making copies of data so that these additional copies may be used to restore the original after a data loss. || Ju-Young ||
 * e) Differnce between main/internal memory & backing storage/Relative benefits of each in term of speed & permanence || All computers have main/internal memory chips to store programs and data while the computer is running. There are two types, ROM and RAM. Accessing data or running software from a memory chip is much faster than from backing storage such as a hard drive. || david ||