Data Storage

Disk arrays use multiple disks and are often cited as the best way to store a large amount of data which can be accessed by all the computers connected to a computer network such as LAN. Network attached storage (NAS) arrays, Storage area network (SAN) arrays are the two main types of disk arrays used across the world by businesses and offices.

Disk writers are used by millions for reading and writing data on a disk. Optical forms in computers and laptops which are used for watching a movie or copying information from the computer to a disc are the most common types of disk writers around us.

External hard drives are a handy solution for increasing the available data storage capacity of a computer or laptop. Due to their portable nature, these can be easily carried along with a computer and most modern external hard drives offer transfer speeds of up to hundreds of MBs of data per minute.

External solid state drives provide an easy solution to data storage needs and as the name suggests are primarily designed for external use. External solid drives are connected to a computer or laptop via a USB slot. External solid state drives offer faster data transfer rates than those offered by an external hard disk drive.

Internal hard drives are the primary storage device located inside a computer system. They are ideal for the storage of documents, videos, pictures and music. They typically contain pre-installed software applications, the computer's operating system and various other files. Most common desktop computers can utilise multiple internal hard drives for maximum data storage whereas laptops usually can only accommodate for just one.

Storage servers are specialized computers designed for acting as a central storage connected to a computer network. Storage servers provide a central location for storing data and files which can be saved and retrieved by all the computers connected to a computer network.

Tape drives are among one of the first developed data storage devices which have been in constant use for over half a century. Tape drives revolutionized the way we communicate and store information and were the primary storage devices from 1950s to 1990s. Audio cassettes, VHS cassettes and floppy drives are the most notable forms of tape drives.

USB memory drives are probably the most common types of data storage devices used in our time. USB devices were designed to be small as compared to other pieces and can be easily stored in a pocket. The capacity of USB memory devices has increased with time and not 32 GB, 64GB or 128 GB USB memory drives can be easily bought in the market.