Define Storage Devices

Technically, a storage device can be defined as any piece of hardware whose main function is to store data and information. As far as computers go, there are several types of storage devices with many different functions. Storage devices have a different definition and purpose depending on who is using them. Because storage devices vary so much, it is best to understand all types of devices and their purposes.

Business Storage Devices

Business storage devices are usually in the form of servers and NAS (network-attached storage). Businesses often use a server to back up files for both themselves and their clients. Also, businesses may use a networked storage device to share information between different computers.

Everyday Computer Users

Everyday computer users are constantly using a storage device--the hard drive on their computers. All of the information on your computer is stored an a very simple hard drive. Whenever you add files or delete files, the hard drive adds or erases its storage capacity.

College and University Storage

Colleges and universities have a tremendous amount of data that they must store. Think about how many students are in a large university. For each of the students, there is information kept on file. Thus, colleges often use servers as their main storage devices. This allows them to store information as well as back up data on many of the computers on campus.

Transporting Data

One of the simplest forms of storage devices are flash drives. Many students and business professionals store data on flash drives every day. Flash drives are ideal for transporting smaller files between computers.

Specialty Storage Devices

Your cell phone stores all of your contacts, and your MP3 player stores all of your songs, so these items can be defined as specialty storage devices. Like a hard drive in a computer, specialty storage devices also come in gigabyte sizes. Example: 16GB iPhone.

Removable Storage

You may not think of items such as CDs, DVDs and floppy disks as storage devices--but they do store data, and the data can be accessed and deleted, making them ideal storage devices. Often, removable storage devices do not carry much capacity. A typical DVD-RW holds up to 4.7GB of storage.

References

• Computer Hope
• Your Dictionary