Data Storage Device

In Computing , a data storage device—as the name implies—is a device for Storing Data . It usually refers to permanent (non-volatile) storage, that is, the data will remain stored when power is removed from the device; unlike semiconductor RAM . Recording can be done Mechanically , Magnetically , or Optically .

A typical way to classify data storage media is to consider its shape and type of movement (or non-movement) relative to the read/write device(s) of the storage apparatus. The following is a list of storage media, roughly sorted descending from modern to older/archaic media.

Flash Memory / Memory Card (solid state Semiconductor memory)

--- CompactFlash I and II

--- SONY Memory Stick (Std/Duo/Pro/MagicGate versions)

--- Secure Digital

--- MMC

--- SmartMedia

--- XD-Picture Card

--- USB Keydrive (a.k.a. "thumb drive")

Magnetic Bubble Memory

Disk Storage (flat, round, circularly-spinning object)

--- Optical Disc such as CD-ROM , CD-R , CD-RW , DVD , DVD-R , DVD-RW , DVD+R , DVD+RW , DVD-RAM , Blu-ray , Minidisc

--- Hard Disk (magnetic)

--- Holographic

--- Floppy Disk , ZIP Disk (removable) (magnetic)

--- Gramophone Record (used for distributing some 1980s home computer programs) (mechanical)

Tape storage (long, thin, flexible, linearly moving bands)

--- Magnetic Tape (a tape passing one or more ''read/write/erase heads'')

--- Paper Tape (mechanical)

Paper card storage

--- Punched Card (mechanical)

Bekenstein (2003) foresees that miniaturization might lead to the invention of devices that store Bit s on a single Atom .

See Also: computer storage

REFERENCES

Bekenstein, Jacob D. (2003, August). ''Information in the holographic universe''. Scientific American.
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Data Storage Device