Storage also includes many forms of virtual and online storage devices such as cloud to allow users to access their data from multiple devices.Ĭommon storage devices that are in use or have been used in the past include:Īfter a software command is issued by the user, digital data is stored inside the appropriate device. They can be either internal (if they’re part of the computer’s hardware), external (if they are installed outside the computer), or removable (if they can be plugged in and removed without opening the computer). Storage devices include a broad range of different magnetic, optical, flash, and virtual drives. Secondary storage can hold and handle significantly larger sizes of data, and keeps it inactive until it’s needed again. Primary or volatile storage tends to me much faster than secondary storage due to its proximity to the processor, but it’s also comparably smaller. While memory is cleared every time a computer is turned off, stored data is saved and stays intact until it’s manually deleted. Memory refers to short-term location of temporary data (see volatile storage above), while storage devices, in fact, store data on a long-term basis for later uses and access. Storage is often confused for memory, although in computing the two terms have different meanings. Examples of volatile storage include a hard disk, USB storage and optical media. This is often referred to as a secondary storage mechanism, and is used for permanent data storage requiring I/O operations. Non-Volatile Storage: A type of storage mechanism that retains digital data even if it’s powered off or isn’t supplied with electrical power. Examples of non-volatile storage include cache memory and random access memory (RAM). It acts as a computer's primary storage for temporarily storing data and handling application workloads. Volatile Storage (Memory): Requires a continuous supply of electricity to store/retain data. Storage is among the key components of a computer system and can be classified into several forms, although there are two major types:
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