What Is the Definition of a Media Storage Device?

Media storage devices are essentially devices that store your digital information. That information can be music, video documents or any other digital data you wish to store. Some of these devices are designed to be part of another device, and some are stand-alone devices that are only connected to transfer data.

Types

Two general categories cover all of these devices. There are removable devices and non-removable devices. A built-in computer hard drive is an example of a non-removable device even though, technically, it can be replaced. A CD-ROM is an example of removable storage. When not in use, the CD is removed from the computer and can be stored in a safe place for future use.

Magnetic

There are different types of devices within the two main categories. The first and oldest type in use is magnetic storage. The spool or roll of magnetic tape could be removed and stored for safety when not in use, and stored the data in magnetic charges on its surface. This is the same way modern hard drives and floppy drives store data.

Optical

Another way media is stored on devices is in optical patterns burned into the surface of a disc like a CD, DVD or Blue Ray Disc. On these discs, the data is stored in a series of bits represented by microscopic burned dots on the surface of the media.

Solid State

Much faster than the previous methods is solid state storage. In this type of device, the data is stored in solid state memory on a computer chip in the device. A USB flash drive is a good example of this. The flash drive can be quickly inserted into the port for data transfer, and then taken away to another device quickly and simply. Solid state devices are occasionally installed as non-removable devices in compact laptops and PDAs. This provides storage that has no moving parts, and requires little maintenance.

Server Storage Devices

Media storage devices on servers that require stability and security may be duplicated and redundant. Usually in the form of magnetic media, servers often use several sets of hard drives that have duplicates of the same data to prevent loss in the case of a hard drive crash or other physical damage. This duplication is often referred to as Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID).

References

• Media Storage Devices