In the modern world, we are creatures of data. We collect, consume, and produce data every day using computers. The process behind storage of information depends on the type of storage built into your device. In this article you will find an overview of each main type of storage used for data management today, and a little bit about how they work. 

It is important to note that data redundancy is just as important as the type of storage you choose. Read about best practices for backups to ensure you will never lose important data.

Hard Disk Drives:

Hard Disk Drives are the older of the two technologies, dating back to 1956. These types of drives contain a glass or aluminum disk that is coated with a magnetic alloy that spins at high speeds (7200rpm). This platter is where all of the information is stored, as either positive or negative polarity. A part called the ‘head’ both reads and writes information to the platter as it rotates. All these moving parts make HDD’s fail in many ways, mostly related to age or physical abuse.  When HDD’s do fail however, if the platter is in-tact, only the broken component needs to be replaced to recover the data.

Data read/write speeds on HDD’s are slower because the device must wait for the platter and head to be in the correct position. Sometimes HDD’s (especially older ones) can be noisy when the internal components actuate. The upside is that these devices are much cheaper per GB than SSD’s.

Solid-State Drives:

Solid-state drives are relatively new into the storage scene. These types of drives use ‘flash’ memory to store your information in ‘blocks’ of electrical circuitry. Flash memory is non-volatile, meaning it can be removed from power and will retain the information stored inside of it. The device is completely electrical, so data reads/writes happen instantaneously and silently. Also, because there are no moving parts to disrupt, SSD’s are less prone to failure if they are dropped, submerged, or in otherwise harsh conditions. When SSD’s do fail, they usually show indications of failure before the drive stops working. Data is usually irrecoverable if the drive is severely damaged. 

Magnetic Tapes:

Reminiscent of cassettes and VHS tapes, magnetic tapes offer cost effective offline backups for enterprise environments. With advancements in information density, tape storage has increased to upwards of 12 thousand gigabytes (12 TB) per cartridge. Although tape storage is slower, once you have created the media, it consumes no electricity and is disconnected from the computer. The offline nature of the data is “air-gap” security against cyber-attacks.

“Cloud” Storage:

The cloud is simply someone else’s computer that you have agreed to connect to and use. These cloud computers have their own storage and processing power, running services like Google Drive, iCloud, One-Drive, Drop-Box, or really any website. Cloud storage uses the same technologies in this list specifically chosen for their need. 

To address your specific storage needs, get in touch with us today to discuss your unique storage needs.