Storage devices are hardware used to store digital data permanently or temporarily in computers and servers.
Storage Device: A hardware component that records and holds data, applications, and the operating system for access and processing.
| Type | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Storage | Fast, temporary memory for active tasks | RAM, Cache |
| Secondary Storage | Long-term, non-volatile storage | HDD, SSD, Optical Discs, USB |
| Tertiary Storage | Offline or archival storage | Tape drives, Blu-ray archives |
| Cloud Storage | Remote storage accessed over the internet | Google Drive, OneDrive, S3 |
| Storage Type | Use Case / Description |
|---|---|
| DAS (Direct Attached Storage) | Storage directly attached to a server (e.g., internal HDD/SSD) |
| NAS (Network Attached Storage) | Dedicated storage over a network, ideal for file sharing |
| SAN (Storage Area Network) | High-performance, block-level storage over a dedicated network |
| RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) | Combines multiple drives for redundancy/performance |
| Object Storage | Scalable storage for unstructured data (e.g., images, backups) |
| Cloud-based Storage | Virtualized, scalable storage (e.g., AWS S3, Azure Blob) |
Storage devices are critical for saving and accessing data. From personal computers to enterprise servers, a variety of storage technologies exist to balance speed, capacity, and reliability.