Input, Output and Storage

What is optical storage?

Data is stored in the reflectivity (pits and lands) of a surface, and is read and written to by a laser.

Name three types of optical storage and list them from the least amount of storage to the most.

• CDs

• DVDs

• Blu-Ray

What is magnetic storage?

Magnetic storage relies on the polarisation of magnetic particles to store bits on a magnetic material which is typically moved mechanically. A high capacity and low cost means of storage.

Name three types of magnetic storage.

• Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

• Magnetic tape

• Floppy disks

What is flash storage?

Flash storage is a solid state technology that stores data on a collection of memory chips. No moving parts as data is accessed by software.

Name two types of flash memory.

• USB flash drives

• Solid-state drives (SSD)

What is RAM?

Random Access Memory is a type of primary storage used to store programs and data in use by the computer.

• it is volatile which means it is temporary storage while the computer is running

• more expensive per gigabyte

• higher access speeds than even flash memory

What is ROM?

Read-Only Memory is a type of primary memory used to store information that is permanently required to boot up and run the computer.

• canmore be written to (modified)

• non-volatile - retains data even when the computer is powered off

What is virtual storage?

Virtual storag is storing information remotely so that it can be accessed by any computer either access to the same system.

• convenient to access and share

• limitations of a user’s network speed

• high costs

Name examples of virtual memory.

• Google Drive

• Microsoft OneDrive