Chapter 8 : Digital Storage

STORAGE - physical material on which a computer keeps data, information, programs, and applications	Cloud storage - an Internet service that provides storage to computer or mobile device users.      Capacity is the number of bytes a storage medium can hold.       Items on a storage medium remain intact even when you turn off a computer or mobile device.       Access time measures : -The amount of time it takes a storage device to locate an item on a storage medium. -The time required to deliver an item from memory to the processor.
HARD DISKS - contains one or more inflexible, circular platters that use magnetic particles to store data, instructions, and information	Characteristics of a hard disk include :      An external hard disk is a separate freestanding storage device that connects with a cable to a USB port or other port on a computer or mobile device.
FLASH MEMORY STORAGE - a type of solid state media and contain no moving parts	A memory card is a removable flash memory device that you insert and remove from a slot in computer or mobile device.       USB flash drives plug into a USB port on a computer or mobile device.
OPTICAL DISCS - consists of a flat, round, portable disc made of metal, plastic, and lacquer that is written and read by a laser	Optical discs commonly store items in a single track that spirals from the center of the disc to the edge of the disc.      Track is divided into evenly sized sectors.      CD-ROM - can read from but not writable or erasable.      CD-R - users can write once, but not erase.      CD-RW - erasable multisession disc
OTHER TYPES OF STORAGE	magnetic stripe card contains a magnetic stripe that stores information.      smart card stores data on an integrated circuit embedded in the card      Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) - RFID tag consists of an antenna and a memory chip that contains the information to be transmitted via radio waves.     Microfilm and microfiche store microscopic images of documents on a roll or sheet film.