Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Access speed: How quickly can the data be written and retrieved?
Interface: How does it connect to the computer, and how fast is
that connection?
Media type: Is it magnetic, optical, or solid state?
Portability: Is the storage inside the system unit, or connected to it
externally?
Removability: Is the disc removable from the drive that reads and
writes it, or are they one inseparable unit?
In the following sections, you will learn about storage in general, and
about several types of storage devices and their characteristics.
Data Storage Basics
A file is a named collection of bits that work together to represent a single
object, such as an executable program, a spreadsheet, a picture, or a system
file. Folders are logical organizing units for files. For example, a Windows-
based computer has a Windows folder containing the system files needed
to run Windows, a Users folder containing the data files and settings for
each user account, and a Program Files folder containing the files needed
for each installed application. A folder within a folder is called a subfolder ;
each of the aforementioned folders contains multiple subfolders. Files and
folders are stored on volumes . Each volume has a letter followed by a
colon, such as C: or D:. Figure 3.25 summarizes this structure.
file A group of related bits stored together under
a single name.
folder A logical organizing unit for grouping
related files together.
subfolder A folder within another folder.
volume A physical storage device, or a portion
of one, that is assigned an identifying letter.
Sometimes used interchangeably with drive, but
a physical drive may actually contain multiple
volumes.
disk One or more platters on which data is
stored. Spelled disc when referring to the optical
type (DVDs, CDs).
Some people use the terms disk (or disc), drive, and volume interchange-
ably, but they have different meanings. The term disk refers to a platter
or set of platters on which data is stored. Examples include a hard disk
drive (HDD) and a DVD. When referring to a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray, it is
customary to spell the term disc. The term drive refers to the mechanical
components that read and write the data on a disk. In some cases, such as
with an HDD, the drive and its platters are physically inseparable, so the
terms disk and drive have come to be synonymous; hard disk and hard
drive refer to the same thing. When the disc is removable from the drive,
however, as with a CD or DVD, the terms are separate. See Figure 3.26.
drive The mechanical components that read and
write the data on a disk.
Figure.3 25 Files are stored in folders, which are stored on volumes.
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