Storage Devices and Media

These flashcards cover the key concepts and details about storage devices and media discussed in the lecture, aiding in review and examination preparation.

A magnetic tape is a very thin strip of plastic which is coated in a __ layer (iron oxide).

magnetic

The data on a magnetic tape is read using __ access.

serial

Due to their vast storage capacity, magnetic tapes are still used on large industrial or __ computers.

university

The key advantage of magnetic tapes is they are generally less expensive (per byte) than the equivalent __.

hard disk drive

Disadvantages of magnetic tape include very __ data access times.

slow

With hard disk drives (HDD), data is stored in __ format on the magnetic surfaces.

digital

A read/write arm swings the read/write head back and forth across the __.

platter

Data on an HDD can be read using __ access.

direct

The time it takes for a specific block of data on a data track to rotate around to the read/write head is known as __.

latency

Fixed hard disk drives are used in __ systems (robots, control of a chemical plant) and in online systems (booking airline tickets).

real-time

Portable hard disk drives are external to the computer and can be connected using a __ port.

USB

Optical storage devices rely on the optical properties of __ light.

laser

Both CDs and DVDs use a thin layer of __ alloy or a light-sensitive organic dye coating to store data.

metal

CD-RW/DVD-RW allows data to be __ over many times.

written

Blu-ray discs use ____ laser technology, which allows for smaller pits and lands compared to DVDs.

blue

Solid-state technology removes the issue of __ because all the data is retrieved at the same rate.

latency

Flash memories are often referred to as __ or flash drives.

flash storage

Memory cards, such as SD cards and XD cards, are examples of solid-state __.

technology

Advantages of memory cards include being very compact and __.

durable