The storage of data on different devices can be magnetic, optic or electric. A storage device can be anything that records or storage data in different forms. This type of definition on data storage devices includes a variety of elements and methods, like memory cards, audio or video cassettes, hard drives or perforated cards. Any of these devices can store data. The way of recording data is different for all of these.

The methods of recording the information you need later are digital inscription or analog. At first there were used only analog methods. For example, the recording of sounds on cassettes or the recording of video signals on video cassettes was very useful. Computer devices have evolved so digital methods of storing data have evolved too. Today they are necessary and very popular.



A computer has two categories of data storage devices: internal and external memory. The external memory of a computer is composed of all storing components portable or semi portable. The portable storing devices are easy to detach and easy to replace. Some of these storage devices are: flash drives, CD ROMs, DVD ROMs or memory cards. Not long ago, hard drives were known as semi portable components.

When smaller laptops known as notebooks appeared they had to make an adjustment to increase the capacity of staring data without removing any component from the computer and so external hard drives were created. As we said before, the storage of data can be magnetic, optic or electric. The magnetic storage is for hard drives and it was for floppy disks too.

Nowadays, the floppy disks disappeared and were replaced by electrical and optical storage devices. The electrical storage is made on flash disks. Flash drives have become very popular because they are very easy to use, they last long and they have a big storage capacity. They connect to the computer or a mobile phone trough a USB. The process that stores data on a CD or DVD is called optical storage. There is a laser in the computer that writes the data we need or that reads the data that was written on it.



External memory comes in handy when you have a computer and cell phone for example. The cell phone has some internal memory but if we have pictures, music or even movies on it we might need to empty some space for other things to store on our phone. So, what do we do? We use the computer to store the data from the phone. This way we free space from the phone and we can use it to other things on it. If you want to get a memory stick you need to pay attention to some details.

It has to be compatible with what you need it for, the transfer speed must be very good and you can install different programs that allow even a faster speed of transfer for data.

Not everyone is interested in this domain but it is good to know how you can create a backup of your pictures, music or movies. If someone asks you to give him something you have on your computer you just use a flash drive. You copy it on the flash drive and you give it to him.