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Mass data storage is important for storing large amounts of information. Types include hard drives, optical discs, USB drives, and SD cards, each with advantages and disadvantages. Mass storage is not the same as computer memory and capacities range from kilobytes to terabytes.
As the use of technology continues to grow at a rapid pace, the ability to store large amounts of information becomes more and more important. This information must be easy to retrieve but difficult to erase or damage. Mass data storage is a term used to describe the many means in which large amounts of data can be stored for use or protection. Mass data storage types include hard drives, optical discs (CDs and DVDs), USB drives, and Secure Digital (SD) cards. Each type of storage method has advantages and disadvantages related to the intended use.
Hard disk drives can be portable or permanent installations in a computer or other electronic device. They can hold large amounts of data, but can be expensive compared to other smaller capacity devices. A magnetic disk system is used to store data, making it easy to retrieve and organize.
USB drives act much like portable hard drives in that they allow you to transfer data from one place to another. A small, rectangular device is plugged into a computer’s USB port, allowing files to be transferred between the two devices. The most common name for a USB drive is a flash drive. These are extremely portable and relatively inexpensive compared to larger mass storage options, but they don’t have the capacity to hold as much data.
Optical data discs use a special type of laser to create and read data. They can store significant amounts of data, but recovery is slower than that of many other methods and specialist equipment is required. DVD discs have a larger capacity than CDs. Some types of disks are read-only, meaning that data can only be written to them once, while those that allow data to be rewritten are more expensive. Many optical discs can be used in other electronic equipment to access stored data, including music players and DVD players.
Secure Digital (SD) cards and other digital cards are most often found in digital cameras, music players, and cell phones. They are very small and contain relatively large amounts of data. They must be read by compatible readers and can only view the data in an appropriate device. For example, a digital card containing music files cannot be read by a camera.
Mass data storage is not the same as computer memory. It is, in fact, a type of temporary storage on a computer that cannot be accessed once the computer is turned off and cannot be transported between devices. The amount of data that can be stored on a mass data storage device is measured in bytes. Capacities range from the smallest amount, kilobytes (KB), to the largest amount, terabytes (TB). One kilobyte is 1.024 bytes, one megabyte (MB) is 1.024 KB, one gigabyte (GB) is 1.024 MB, and one terabyte is 1.024 GB.
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