Storage device
the hardware that records and/or retrieves items to and from storage media
Writing
the process of transferring data, instructions, and information from memory to a storage medium
Reading
the process of transferring these items from a storage medium into memory
Capacity
the number of bytes (characters) a storage medium can hold
Secondary storage
the physical material on which a computer keeps data, information, programs, and applications
internal hard drive
sometimes used to refer collectively to hard disks and SSDs inside a computer
external hard drive
may be used to refer globally to external hard disks and external SSDs
Access time
measure the amount of time it takes a storage device to locate an item on a storage medium or the time required to deliver an item from memory to the processor
Transfer rate
the speed with which data, instructions, and information transfer to and from a device
Hard disk
a storage device that contains one or more inflexible, circular platters that use magnetic particles to store data, instructions, and information
platter
made of aluminum, glass, or ceramic and has a thin coating of alloy material that allows items to be recorded magnetically on its surface
Longitudinal recording
aligns the magnetic particles horizontally around the surface of the disk
perpendicular recoding
hard disks align the magnetic particles vertically, or perpendicular to the disk's surface, making much greater storage capacities possible
density
the number of bits in an area on a storage medium
Formatting
the process of dividing the disk into tracks and sectors so that the operating system can store and locate data and information on the disk
track
a narrow recording band that forms a full circle on the surface of the disk
read/write head
the mechanism that reads items and writes items in the drive as it barely touches the disk's recording surface
disk cache
sometimes called a buffer, consists of a memory chip on a hard disk that stores frequently accessed data, instructions, and information
RAID
a group of two or more integrated hard disks
external hard disk
a separate freestanding storage device that connects with a cable to a USB port or other port on a computer or mobile device
solid-state media
they consist entirely of electronic components, such as integrated circuits, and contain no moving parts
SSD
a flash memory storage device that contains its own processor to manage its storage
memory card
a removable flash memory storage device, usually no bigger than 1.5 inches in height or width, that you insert in and remove from a slot in a computer, mobile device, or card reader/writer
USB flash drive
sometimes called a thumb drive, is a flash memory storage device that plugs in a USB port on a computer or mobile device
cloud storage
is an internet service that provides storage to computer or mobile device users
optical disc
a type of storage medium that consists of a flat, round, portable disc made of metal, plastic, and lacquer that is written and read by a laser
full backup
provides the best protection against data loss because it copies all program and data files
differential backup
copies only the files that have changed since the last full or last incremental backup
selective backup
allows the user to choose specific files to back up, regardless of whether or not the files have changed since the last incremental backup
backup software
enables you to schedule backups, select the appropriate backup type, and choose the storage media for the backup
fibre channel
technology as the interface that connects the devices to the network because it has much faster transmission rates than SCSI and other previously discussed interfaces
mirroring
writes data on two disks at the same time to duplicate the data
striping
splits data, instructions, and information across multiple disks in the array
network attached storage
a server that is placed on a network with the sole purpose of providing storage to users, computers, and devices attached to the network
storage area network
a high-speed network with the sole purpose of providing storage to other attached servers
tape
a magnetically coated ribbon of plastic that is capable of storing large amounts of data and information at a low cost
tape drive
reads from and writes on a magnetic tape
tape cartridge
a small, rectangular, plastic housing for tape
tape library
where individual tape cartridges are mounted in a separate cabinet
magnetic stripe card
a credit card, entertainment card, bank card, or other similar card with a stripe that contains information identifying you and the card
smart card
an alternative to a magnetic stripe card, stores data on an integrated circuit embedded in the card
RFID tag
consists of an antenna and a memory chip that contains the information to be transmitted via radio waves
microfilm
a 100- to 215-foot roll of film
microfiche
a small sheet of film, usually about 4 x 6 inches
computer output microfilm recorder
the device that records the images on the film