Hardware Components. Storage Devices
Storage devices are memories that do not lose data and are used to permanently store or keep data for long periods of time. Storage devices are able to keep data even when the computer is turned off, unlike RAM which loses information.
Types of Storage Devices:
- Internal Storage: These components are located inside the computer housing and serve as the main storage for your operating system, software, and personal data. Popular choices for storing data internally include:
- Hard Disk Drives (HDDs): Conventional storage devices utilize spinning disks and a read/write head for data storage.
- Solid State Drives (SSDs): More recent technology utilizes flash memory to achieve quicker access to data and faster transfer speeds when compared to HDDs.
- External Storage: These transportable devices provide extra storage space and enable convenient data transfer between computers. Examples consist of:
- USB Drives (Flash Drives): Small and easily transportable storage devices that plug into USB ports.
- External HDDs/SSDs: Portable versions of internal storage drives provide greater storage capacities for backing up data or moving large files.
- Network-Attached Storage (NAS): Network-connected dedicated storage devices enable multiple users to centrally access and share data.
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Important Features of Storage Devices:
- Interfaces: These define how the storage device connects to the motherboard. Common interfaces include:
- Serial ATA (SATA): Typical interface used to connect the majority of consumer SSDs and HDDs to motherboards.
- Serial Attached SCSI (SAS): Provides better speed and capacity, commonly employed in business storage setups along with RAID configurations (as discussed previously and subsequently).
- IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) and SCSI (Small Computer System Interface): Outdated interfaces are no longer prevalent in present-day systems.
- Capacity: Maximum amount of data that a storage device can hold, typically measured in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB).
- Rotational Speed (HDDs only): This refers to HDDs and shows the speed at which the platters rotate, measured in RPM (Revolutions Per Minute). Increased RPM typically results in quicker access times, but also brings about more noise and higher power usage.
- Data Transfer Speed: This pertains to the speed at which information can be transferred between the storage device and the computer. SSDs provide much quicker data transfer speeds than HDDs because they do not have any moving mechanical components.
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