Storage media refers to the medium of which informational data can be recorded and stored. Data storage is critical for the standard operations of countless devices, benefiting consumers and businesses alike with the capability of preserving a variety of information and data digitally. Storage media can encompass a number of electromagnetic, optical, and silicon-based devices that each provide unique capabilities and uses for the benefit of different applications. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of storage media and some common types, allowing you to better understand what it is and how it may be used.
Data can serve a wide variety of needs, ranging from the storing of personal photos to the functionality of IoT devices. With modern storage systems reaching new heights of technological capability, data storage can even be used for machine learning-enabled artificial intelligence as data is recorded and analyzed for further research and improvements. Many modern businesses are also heavily reliant on storage media as well, ensuring that they can relay large amounts of information both internally and externally for countless daily operations and processes. As we continue to find uses for data and increase our reliance on data storage, it is expected that we will produce 163 zettabytes of new data by 2025.
Storage media can come in a variety of forms, often being both hardware and software systems that capture, manage, and prioritize information. When digital information is recorded onto a medium, it is done so in binary value of 0 or 1 that can be measured in bits. As the smallest form of digital data, eight bits can form a byte, that of which are then combined to make kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, and so on so forth as values become increasingly larger. The capacity of a particular device will then dictate how much information it can store, and it is important to note that various forms of data can range in the amount of storage they take up.
For computer systems and other electronics found in countless applications, flash memory and hard drive components both serve as common storage media types, and they each present their own unique methods of operation. The hard drive, or hard disk drive, is an electromechanical storage media device that is capable of storing and retrieving data with the use of a magnetic platter and armature. Often fairly cost-efficient for their storage capacities and speeds, hard drives served as one of the dominant storage devices for many computers until the advent of the SSD.
Flash memory is another widely used storage media device, and they can be found in USB flash drive technology, digital cameras, mobile phones, scientific instrumentation, medical electronics, and much more. NOR and NAND flash memory serve as the two main types, and they are both non-volatile so that they can retain information without power. Flash memory also provides very quick read times, and they are more preferred over the hard drive for portable storage solutions. Enterprise storage servers often come in the form of storage arrays and storage servers, and NAND flash storage arrays are becoming increasingly popular.
Beyond those two major examples, storage media also comes in the form of optical media, cache memory, Random Access Memory, magnetic tape, and much more. When you are in need of various storage media devices such as flash memory or storage arrays, look no further than Just IT Hardware. Just IT Hardware is a trusted distributor of computer components and IT hardware parts, and we can help you secure everything that you need with ease. Explore our expansive listings at your leisure, and our team of industry experts are readily on standby 24/7x365 to provide competitive quotes as needed. Get started today and see why customers choose to rely on Just IT Hardware for their needs.
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