Data storage includes anything with recorded information, but most commonly refers to storing information on computers. Computer data can be primary or secondary, with primary memory stored in RAM. Secondary storage includes onsite, removable, and offsite options, such as hard drives, USBs, and cloud computing. Offsite storage has advantages and disadvantages, including accessibility and security concerns.
The term data storage can refer to anything with information recorded on it. Using this broad definition, a hardcover volume of an encyclopedia, an audiotape of a pop song, and even a piece of paper with random words written on it would all be considered examples. The most popular definition of the term limits it to only storing information on computers and similar devices.
Anything that a computer “knows” or is able to “know” is called computer data. This includes emails, text files, digital images and databases. Computer data storage can be divided into two main categories: primary and secondary. Each is important, but the secondary kind is usually what people think of when they use the term.
The information that a computer has at any given moment is technically the data that its central processing unit (CPU) can directly access. This information is called memory, and the components that store it are considered primary memory. Memory is mostly stored in random access memory (RAM). There are many types of RAM, but they usually come in the form of modules that plug into a specific slot inside your computer. This type is constantly being erased and rewritten, most often from secondary storage.
Secondary data storage represents all other types not included in primary storage. Although some experts have previously used an additional category called tertiary, advances in technology have blurred the differences between secondary and tertiary levels to the point that only one term is needed. Internal hard drives, CD-ROM disks, and flash memory sticks are all examples of this type of storage. There are so many different types that this category can be further divided into three different areas: onsite, removable, and offsite.
In-place storage is any type of storage device that is designed to stay with the computer or in a single location where the computer is housed. The most common on-site device is a hard disk drive and it is included in almost all personal computers. Solid state drives and network attached storage are also examples of such devices.
Removable storage is any type that is designed to be easily removed from a computer. This type has become more common than the loco types in modern times. The big disadvantage of this type was that the data access time was much slower than on-premise, but speed improvements have brought this down to acceptable limits for many common applications. CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, USB flash drives, and portable hard drives are all examples.
Offsite data archiving is one of the newer types of archiving. In this type, information is stored away from the computer in a remote location. This data can then be accessed via a direct call or via the Internet. This type of archiving has the advantage of being available if something happens to the on-site computer system.
There are disadvantages to offsite storage over other types, both because of the time it takes to access the data and because it can be less secure. Examples of this type include electronic vaulting, online file hosting services, and online photo sharing websites. It is also a primary aspect of cloud computing.
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