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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
- 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)
As of 2003 it is expected that in the future, miniaturization might lead to the invention of devices that store bits on a single atom each (Bekenstein, 2003).s |
