Computer Data Storage - Research Paper Example

 Computer Data Storage TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Page Abstract 1 Introduction 2 Types of Data Storage 3 Primary Data Storage 3 Secondary Data Storage 3 Off-Line Data Storage 3 Tertiary Data Storage 4 Key Features of Data Storage 4 Volatile Memory and Non-Volatile Memory 4 DRAM and SRAM 5 Addressable Information 5 Ease of Access 5 Data Storage Capacity 6 Latency and Throughput 6 Convenience in Storing Information 6 Technologies for Data Storage 6 Magnetic Disk Storage 6 Removable Storage 7 Semiconductor Memory 7 Internal Hard Drives 7 External Hard Drives 7 Compact Disks 7 Storage Area Network 8 Network Attached Storage 8 Direct Attached Storage 8 Conclusion 9 Figures i, ii References iii Abstract In recent years, having a reliable data storage mechanism has become one of the most important data security issues for any company or organization. Data storage is one of the basic functions of any computer system. Companies store their data in computers in order to make it safe and secure. This paper examines different types and characteristics of computer data storage. The research related to data storage mechanisms shows different aspects of computer data storage. The paper not only reflects how computer systems make use of primary, secondary, tertiary, and off-line memories for storing the data but also describes various characteristics of computer data storage in order to provide a clear understanding of the topic. The paper also provides information about different data storage technologies that are being used all over the world. Introduction Data security is one of the most important characteristics of any computer system. People store their important data and information in the computers in order to make it safe and secure. The stored data can be retrieved, deleted, modified, and updated whenever required. Computer data storage is not only considered a very important management task but also it is a modern method of information management. Computer data storage secures the valuable data of a company up to a large extent from many problems such as misplaced data, time-consuming information search, and many others. Some of the main technologies used for storing data into the computers include semiconductor technology, magnetic technology, internal and external hard drives, and removable storage devices. There can be disastrous effects on a company’s performance if the data is not stored in a safe data storage device. Almost every business needs to create a backup of the data in the computers because of some data related threats, which include power failure, accidental damage, or theft. Some companies use online data storage for protecting their data while sitting at remote locations. Edwards (2008) asserts, “More businesses and individuals are making good use of online data storage backup as the means of protecting their most important files and data”. Computer data storage helps an individual access the required data from the database. Data storage provides many benefits to the companies. Some of the main benefits or characteristics of computer data storage include volatility, accessibility, high performance, fast processing of data, and capacity to store large amount of files and information. Types of Data Storage Computers make use of primary, secondary, tertiary, and off-line memories for storing the data. Let us discuss all of them in some detail. Primary Data Storage Primary memory is the main part of computer’s memory. Primary memory of a computer controls such computer programs that enable essential functions such as startup and diagnostic performance checks (Lister, 2010). Primary data storage includes two types of memories, which are random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM). Khurshudov (2001) asserts, “RAM is the working area where programs are run and data is processed” (p. 8). Random access memory stores the information temporarily because all the information stored in RAM is lost once the system shuts down. The difference between RAM and a non-volatile memory is that of power source requirement. Random access memory needs power source in order to retain data whereas non-volatile memories such as flash memory or hard disk does not require power source to retain data. If we talk about ROM, we can say that ROM is that type of data storage, which can store the data permanently. ROM is non-volatile and the data cannot be modified once saved. Secondary Data Storage Secondary data storage represents those forms of storage that are not included in primary data storage (Cole, 2010). Secondary storage can store large amounts of data. It is a non-volatile memory. Unlike primary data storage, secondary storage cannot be accessed directly by the central processing unit. Secondary storage can be used for offline data storage due to its non-volatile nature. The main devices included in the secondary data storage include hard drives and blue ray disks. Hard disk stores the data in a digital form and it is the most popular secondary storage devices. Blue ray disks are optical storage devices and are used to store high definition videos. Off-Line Data Storage Off-Line storage devices fetch the data from the hard disks, and after storage, they are removed from the computer system. Off-line data storage is useful because the user can take the data anywhere with him after storing it in an off-line device. The user can also access the stored data using the device in any other computer system. Some of the popular off-line storage devices include compact disks and magnetic tapes (see figure 1). These devices need to interact with the hard disk in order to fetch the data. Tertiary Data Storage Tertiary data storage is another form of computer data storage. Tertiary storage devices are connected to the computer system in the form of removable mass storage devices (Aarti, 2010). An example of tertiary data storage is USB flash drive. The data access time is slower in flash drives, so they are used to contain that data which is not used frequently by the user. A large amount of data can be stored in flash drives. Paul (2008) asserts, “The USB drives are more reliable when huge amounts of data has to be moved”. Key Features of Data Storage Let us discuss some of the key features of data storage, which make it beneficial for any company or organization. Volatile Memory and Non-Volatile Memory Volatility is that feature of data storage devices, which makes them different to one another. The two basic types of data storage include volatile data storage and non-volatile data storage. Those storage devices, which cannot store the data permanently, are volatile in nature. Such devices need continuous power in order to store the data. Once the power is off, the data is lost from the memory. Random access memory is an example of volatile data storage in which the data is not stored permanently and the users are required to save their work before the power turns off. However, in case of non-volatile memory, data is not erased from the memory even if the power turns off. Garden (2010) asserts, “Non-volatile memory is important for long term storage of essential system information and data”. CDs, DVDs, secondary memory, tertiary memory, and off-line memory are the types of non-volatile memories. DRAM and SRAM Dynamic random access memory is that type of memory, which can store a large amount of data in a small space. DRAM cannot be used for permanent storage purposes because it needs continuous power for the storage of data. Once the power is off, data is also lost from the computer. Data stored in DRAM needs to be refreshed periodically in order to remain in the memory. DRAM holds the data as long as the power is on but when the power goes down, data from the memory wipes out. The only major difference between DRAM and SRAM is that of data refreshing requirement. SRAM does not require the data to be refreshed in order to retain the data. SRAM is an expensive memory as it requires more space to store data as compared to DRAM. SRAM is not only faster than DRAM but also it does not require any external refresh circuitry. Addressable Information Computer data storage also possesses the addressability characteristic. The three common types of information addressability include file addressable information, content addressable information, and location addressable information. The information is accessed based on some conditions. In file addressable information, a specific file is first divided into variable length files and the selection of a particular file is done based on names of the files. In content addressable information, the selection of any particular file is based on stored contents of the file. In the last type, which is location addressable information, the selection of a particular part of information is based on the numeric address of the file. Ease of Access Ease of access to the information is another key characteristic of computer data storage. There are two common ways to access a location of some stored information, which include random data access and sequential data access. Sequential data access is much faster as compared to random data access. Sequential data access can be used to read an entire file whereas random data access points towards some specific part of a file. Magnetic tape is an example of sequential data access where the search for any specific item cannot be done randomly. Compact disk is an example of random access in which user can directly pick an item without reading the whole disk. Data Storage Capacity Another characteristic of computer data storage is the capacity to store a large amount of data at a specific location. Storing a large amount of data is known as raw capacity whereas storing data in a compact form is known as memory storage density. Latency and Throughput Latency and throughput show the performance of the computer data storage devices. Latency means the time taken by the storage device to reach the desired location of the data. Latency for the primary data storage is the shortest, which generally measures up to a nanosecond whereas in tertiary data storage, it takes a second for a device to locate the desired data. Throughput, which is measured in terms of mbps, is the time taken by the device to read from or write to any specific stored file. Convenience in Storing Information Computer data storage provides convenience to the users to store information in the memory. The information can be stored in three ways, which include read or write data, read only data, and slow write but fast read data. In the read or write data storage, data in the form of information can be read or written anytime the user wants. In read only data, information can only be written once but it can be read multiple times. Once the information is stored in the memory, it cannot be rewritten again. In slow write but fast read data storage, information can be rewritten and read multiple times but the process of writing is much slower as compared to the read operation. Technologies for Data Storage Magnetic Disk Storage Magnetic storage is a non-volatile storage and it stores information using magnetic surface instead of semiconductor-based integrated circuits. This technology is less expensive as compared to disk storage and makes use of read-write heads to access any specific information from the magnetic disk. “A hard drive is a read-write device, and the memory is permanent unless the device experiences mechanical failure” (Dahl, Lindh, Pooler, & Tamparo, 2010, p. 186). Removable Storage Some of the widely used removable storage devices include JAZ disks and ZIP disks (see figure 2). They have an unlimited storage capacity because they make use of multiple disks to store the data but the read-write speed is not very fast. They are portable and can easily be used on a single computer system. They are used for simple computing, creating backups, and transferring files locally. Semiconductor Memory Semiconductors store the information to the storage location using transistors and integrated circuits. Milton (2009) asserts, “Semiconductors are very essential in technological advancements especially in mobile phone, computer, television, and radio production”. There are two basic types of semiconductors, which include intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors. Semiconductor is not only a very powerful technology but also it is very cheaper and this is the reason why semiconductors are being widely used for the purpose of data storage into the computers. Internal Hard Drives One of the most common data storage technologies is internal hard drive (see figure 3). Brain (n.d.) asserts, “Nearly every desktop computer and server in use today contains one or more hard-disk drives”. They are not only convenient in use but also possess a high read-write speed as compared to removable storage technology. It has a limited storage capacity. Some common applications of internal hard drives include file swapping and single computer files storage. External Hard Drives External hard drives have a high read-write speed but possess a limited storage capacity. External hard drives are not suitable for transferring data to multiple computers. Data backup and data archiving are two of the most common applications of external hard drives. Compact Disks Compact disks are also used for data storage. Compact disks have a high data intensity and a long life. A large amount of data can be stored if multiple disks are used. The read-write speed of compact disks varies from slow to moderate. Some of the most common applications include data transfer, data archiving, and localized sharing of files. Storage Area Network Storage area network is used to move large blocks of data over the network. It is a very reliable but a high cost and difficult to manage network. Storage area network can be used for storing heavy databases. Network Attached Storage Network attached storage is another network related technology which holds various advantageous features such as high data storage capacity, data sharing and data backup facilities, and fast access to information. Unlike storage area network, network attached storage is not very convenient in moving large blocks of data over the network. Direct Attached Storage Direct attached storage is the most popular network related data storage technology. Some of main benefits of using this technology include less initial cost, simple connectivity, and ease of control. There are also some limitations of using direct attached storage which include inconvenient network data transfers, load of application processing on servers, and separate storage for each server. Sharing and archiving of data are two of the most common applications of direct attached storage. Conclusion Implementation of a consistent data storage system is one of the most important issues for any company or organization. People store their valuable data in computers in order to make it protected from various hazards. Some of the main technologies used for storing data include semiconductor technology, magnetic technology, and removable storage technology. Computer data storage secures a company from many problems related to data management such as misplaced data, data loss, and many others. Almost every business needs to create a backup for the data in order to ensure data security. Computers make use of primary, secondary, tertiary, and off-line memories for storing the data. Primary memory storage includes two types of memories, which are random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM). Secondary storage can store large amounts of data and it is a non-volatile memory. Off-Line storage devices store the data from a computer’s hard disk. There also exist some data storage technologies, which play a vital role in storing the data onto the computer systems in a modernized way. Data storage provides various significant benefits to the companies. Some of the main benefits of computer data storage include volatility, accessibility, addressability, high performance, fast data processing, ease of access to information, and capacity to store large amount of data. Therefore, we can say that computer data storage is one of the most valuable functions of any computer system, which provides many benefits not only to the individuals but also for the companies and organizations. Figure 1: Flash Drive Figure 1: Flash Drive (http://gadgetophilia.com/10-essential-gadgets-for-students/) Figure 2: 100 Mb ZIP Disk Figure 2: 100 Mb ZIP Disk (http://www.smcelectronics.com/compass.htm) Figure 3: Hard Disk Figure 3: Hard Disk (http://www.howstuffworks.com/hard-disk.htm/printable) References Aarti, R. (n.d.). Data Storage Types. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/data-storage-types.html Brain, M. (n.d.). How Hard Disks Work. Retrieved from http://www.howstuffworks.com/hard-disk.htm/printable Cole, B. (2010, September 08). What is Data Storage?. Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-data-storage.htm Dahl, B., Lindh, W., Pollar, M., & Tamparo, C. (2010). Delmar’s Comprehensive Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical Competencies (4th ed.). New York, NY: Cengage Learning, Inc. Edwards, T. (2008, January 09). Advantages To Online Data Storage Backup. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Advantages-To-Online-Data-Storage-Backup&id=919741 Garden, S. (2010, August 30). What is Non-Volatile Memory?. Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-non-volatile-memory.htm Khurshudov, A. (2001). The Essential Guide to Computer Data Storage: From Floppy to DVD. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Lister, J. (2010. June 08). The Advantages of Using Primary Memory in a Computer. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_6605560_advantages-using-primary-memory-computer.html Milton, R. (2009, November 03). Semiconductor Technology - Applications and Operations behind Different Types. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Semiconductor-Technology---Applications-and-Operations-Behind-Different-Types&id=3200866 Paul, S. (2008, August 28). The Advantages of USB Flash Drive. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Advantages-of-USB-Flash-Drive&id=1450261 Read More