RAM Drive Information
Random Access Memory, or RAM, is usually used as a form of short-term memory, which is meant to provide immediate access to information that a computer is expected to need. However, in rare cases it is used as a form of long-term memory called a RAM drive. RAM is normally not capable of storing memory for long periods of time, but RAM drives find ways to get around this limitation.
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History
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The existence of RAM drives has not been consistent. The first RAM drive sold was the GC-RAM disk from Gigabyte. It arrived in 2006 but was out of production by 2007. Acard, which specializes in niche computer storage, released several RAM drives in 2009 called the 9010, 9010A and 9010B.
Long-Term Memory Limitations
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RAM drives are not common because RAM is a volatile form of memory. This means that RAM only stores information if an electrical charge is applied to it. If that charge is lost, all of the information stored is lost. RAM drives are able to minimize this problem somewhat through use of a backup battery, which can provide a charge if a computer is turned off. The battery won't last more than a day, however, so data loss is always a risk when using a RAM drive for long-term storage.
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RAM Drive Design
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A RAM drive has a controller, which is in charge of the drive's operation and on-board cache just as wiith a mechanical drive. The only difference is the storage media itself, which is RAM rather than a hard disk. RAM drives include between four and eight RAM slots. RAM drives are designed to work even if loaded only to partial capacity, which means a RAM drive that has only half the maximum number of RAM sticks installed will still function normally.
Virtual RAM Disks
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While RAM drives are hardware, there is a software solution which provides a similar result known as a RAM disk. A RAM disk, despite its name, does not involve a physical disk of any kind. Instead it is created through the use of software, which reserves a portion of the computer's RAM for use as a virtual hard drive. Once the virtual drive is set up, you can use it as you would any other drive. However, the limitations of RAM drives still apply. The data on a RAM disk will be lost if the computer it is installed on ever shuts down or loses power.
Comparison with Mechanical and Solid State Drives
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RAM drives and RAM disks are quicker than mechanical hard drives by a large margin. Files stored on a RAM drive as opposed to a mechanical hard drive are accessed between two and four times more quickly. RAM drives and disks even have a performance advantage over most solid-state drives, although the performance gap is much smaller.
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References
- Photo Credit ram 3 image by PeteG from Fotolia.com
