Evolution of storage devices

A computational storage device is a device that is capable of storing data or any information. Historically paper has been used as the most common method, but now is possible to have digitally stored in a CD for example, the data that would fit in thousands of archived folders. Throughout history it has been sought the path to knowledge and as consequence of it to find the physically smaller device and with more capacity to store more data and treat them quickly.

The integrated circuit was first developed in 1959 by engineer Jack Kilby just months after being hired by the firm Texas Instruments. It was a germanium device that integrated six transistors in the same semiconductor base to form an oscillator phase rotation. In 2000, Kilby was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his invention's contribution to the development of technology.

A microchip is a very thin tablet where thousands or millions of interconnected electronic devices, mainly diodes and transistors, and passive components such as resistors and capacitor. Its area can be 2 cm², 1 cm² or less. Microchips are perhaps the storage systems more employees today appliances, toys are well used on computers, on mobile phones, with an electronic component, and so on.

The transistor acts as a switch. It can turn on or off electronically or amplify electricity. It is used in computers to store information or in amplifiers to increase the sound volume. The resistors limit the flow of electricity and allow us to control the amount of current flowing, this is used for example to control the volume of a television or radio.

Microchip development is especially important in history, it is something incredibly small that can store huge amount of data, which years ago was unthinkable. microscopically development is needed to design microchips.

The first computer that used microchips was an IBM launched in 1965, called series 360. These computers are considered the third generation of computers, and replaced entirely to the second generation, introducing a way to program that still remains in large computers IBM.

Random Access Memory

Random-access Memory or RAM is a semiconductor memory, which can both read and write information. It is a volatile memory, i.e., it loses its contents when disconnected from electricity.

RAM is the most important storage component of a current computer next to the hard drive. With the arrival of desktop computers, it had to devise a storage system that does not occupy space, as desktop computers were designed for that would fit on an office table. RAM is formed from microchips with memory entries. Memory is stored in these entries randomly, hence its name. RAM is one of the computer components that has evolved over the last twenty years. If the late 80's ability RAMs were around 4 MB, now it is normal to buy a computer with at least 1024 MB (1 GB). Usually it has been moving in an amount of MB equal to powers of 2. A mid-90s, with the arrival of Windows 95, computers began using memories of 16 MB of RAM, later 32, 64, 128 ... to the Pentium 4 and using Windows XP, where it is recommended at least 256 MB of RAM, although today it is normal to use from 1 Gigabyte and 8 Gigabytes. Although some PC already use 32 Gigabytes of RAM.

Cache Memory

In computing, the cache is a storage device used by the CPU of a computer, which temporarily stores data recently processed to reduce access time to memory. The cache is a smaller and faster memory which stores copies of data located in main memory that are used more frequently.

It is a set of duplicates of other originals, with the property that the original data are costly to access, usually in time, regarding the recaches data. When you first access to data, a copy in the cache is made; the following accesses are made to that copy, making the average access time to data is less.

When the processor needs to read or write to a location in main memory, first checks whether a copy of the data is in the cache. If so, the processor immediately reads or writes to the cache, which is much faster than reading or writing to main memory.

Hard Disk Drive

It is the storage medium par excellence. Since 1955 ^[1] the first hard drive out until today, the hard drive or HDD has had a great development. Hard drives are used in desktop computers, laptops and other more complex storage units. The hard drive is the component that is responsible for storing all the data we want. While RAM memory acts as "support" (like variable that stores and loses information as data are being processed), the hard disk permanently stores the information that we put until it is deleted. Generally, the first thing is recorded on a hard disk is the operating system that we use in our computer. Once you have installed the operating system on the hard drive, we can use all the programs you want to have installed, and all the information you want to save is stored on the hard disk. Hard disk store anything such as documents, images, sounds, programs, videos, files, etc.

Hard drives have also evolved a lot over the last twenty years, especially expanding its capacity

The hard drive is basically composed of:

• Several disks of magnetized metal, where the data is stored.
• A motor that spins the discs.
• A set of heads, which read the information stored on disks.
• An electromagnet that moves the heads.
• An electronic control circuit, which includes the computer interface and cache.
• A (but not vacuum) sealed case that protects the whole.

Typically they use a magnetic recording analog system.

The number of discs depends on the capacity of the HDD, the number of heads and the number of discs multiplied by 2, due to a HHD carries a head for each face of each disc (4 discs = 8 faces = 8 heads).

Currently the standard size is 3.5' wide for PC's HDD and 2.5' disks for laptops.

Portable devices

Besides the fixed devices that exist as components in a computer, there are others that can be inserted and removed on any computer. These systems are really useful to transport information between two or more computers.

Floppy Disk

A floppy disk,^[2] also called a floppy, diskette or just disk, is a type of disk storage composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic enclosure lined with fabric that removes dust particles. Floppy disks are read and written by a floppy disk drive (FDD).

In the 80s they enjoyed great popularity.^[3] Software and PC games were distributed in this format. Since at that time programs and games they were less than 1MB, fit perfectly in the diskettes. a rectangular diskette existed in his day, and later appeared diskette 3 1/2 inches, the popular square diskette. In the nineties, programs began to occupy more memory, so in some cases several diskettes were needed to complete an installation.

The floppy disk is a magnetic storage system, like cassettes or hard disks, and although they have been popular since the 80s so far, but now they are obsolete. In fact, all computers already leave the factory without FDD, because the diskettes have remained small in capacity and speed. Given what occupy existing programs, a diskette was later useful only to store some text documents, images and presentations, and as of 2016 the use of diskettes has stopped.

CD-ROM

A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed optical compact disc which contains data. The name is an acronym which stands for "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory". Computers can read CD-ROMs, but cannot write to CD-ROMs which are not writable or erasable.

It is an optical (not flexible diskettes) compact disc used to store non-volatile information, i.e. the information entered on a CD in principle can not be deleted. Once a CD is written, it can not be modified, only read (hence its name). A CD-ROM is a flat plastic disc with digital information encoded in a spiral from the center to the edge. It was debuted in 1984 by Sony and Denon.^[4] Philips, NEC, Microsoft and Apple were some of the big computer companies that used it in the 1980s. It is one of the most commonly used storage devices. In fact, it was the substitute for storing music cassettes and diskettes to store other data.

There are several types of CD-ROM. The classics are about 12 centimeters in diameter, and can generally store 650 or 700 MB of information. However, in recent years they have also designed CD-ROMS with capacities of 800 or 900 MB. If we consider the capacity in minutes of music, 80 minutes would be the 700 MB, for example. There are also 8 cm discs with less capacity, but ideal to store relatively small software. Generally they used to record software, drivers, etc. Peripheral or the like, but also used to carry data as normal CD normally.

The main advantage of CD-ROM is its versatility, ease of operation, its small size (especially thick). However their main drawback is that they can not handle the data stored on it. In order to solve this problem they appeared CD-RW, or rewritable CD. Its characteristics are identical to normal CDs, but with the peculiarity that can be written as many times as you like. CDs are read by CD players, including a laser that reads data from the disk center to the edge. The system is similar to punch cards. While on a punch card is clearly visible its holes, in a CD micro perforations are included which are imperceptible to the naked eye because they are microscopic. When writing to a CD, the binary system with no drilling or drilling (zeros and ones) is used.

DVD

The growth in computer technology is such that even CDs have remained small. If 10 years ago the diskettes had remained small and it seemed that a CD was too "big", today all applications (programs, operating systems or video games) occupy much more memory. Traditional 700MB capacity of a CD were passed to 4.7GB of a DVD. The first burst of DVD sales appeared for the video format to replace the VHS classics. The advantages of the DVD were clear: greater capacity better quality can be stored. In addition, better data is preserved unlike magnetic tape cassettes which were easily erodible. A DVD is much more durable, picture and sound quality is also better. DVD movies started to become popular in the late 90s.

However, in those years still the CD were the most popular at computer level. A game may have taken up 600MB for installation, which easily fit on a CD. Gradually, video games and other programs began to occupy more, because with the progress of data, graphics and other technologies more memory is needed. Some video games began to occupy 4 or 5 CDs. Finally it was decided that because those programs take up more memory than fits on a CD, they were now stored on a DVD. DVDs are more expensive than CDs, but gradually are doing well with the market. They may be the final replacements for the CD, but for now the latter are not declining in sales at all. The sale of blank CDs is still overwhelming. However, DVD sales have soared, as more and more people begin to record more data and logically seek the smallest possible physical space.

There are also DVD-R, since like the CD, the normal DVD is read-only. But the lesson learned from the CD, rewritable DVD were designed. In addition, a few years ago that there are double-layer DVD.^[5] This type of DVD still read on one side, but with double layer data. There are also DVDs that can be read on both sides.^[6] There are double-sided and one layer, but if the DVD is double-sided, double layer for each, the capacity is 17 GB. However even these systems are used minimally, they are very expensive, but surely someday replace the current CD.

USB Flash Drive

The USB flash drive was invented in 1998 by IBM, but did not patented it. Its aim was to replace floppy disks with much more capacity and speed of data transmission. Although currently in a CD or DVD the memory can be stored and then delete it and manipulate it, the USB drives are more comfortable and more used nowadays. They are small sized devices as lighter as a floppy disk, but with much greater capacity, currently ranging from 64 MB to several gigabytes. Its main advantage is its small size, its resistance (memory itself is protected by a plastic casing as a lighter) and its transmission rate is much faster than floppy disks.

Currently is very fashionable these devices, especially among young people and the office, because thanks to its small size and shape can be hung as a keychain for example, and most importantly, operating systems (Linux,^[7] Windows ^[8] or Mac), just connect to the computer and use it without further complications. There are also other devices such as MP3 players that use the same characteristics. They can store any type of data, but its main feature is that the music files in format mp3 and wma especially, are recognized and processed to be heard through headphones connected to the device. This is therefore a substitute for the Walkman. But also increasingly are new designs that are capable of storing and tens of gigabytes (thousands of songs) and video, with a small screen can be displayed appear.

See also

• Data storage device

References

Further reading

• History of Computer Storage from 1928 to 2013
• History of Storage from Cave Paintings to Electrons

External links

• The Evolution of Data Storage