Data Storage

          The term hard disk drives shouldn't be too unfamiliar with the general audience. In the world that is advancing in technology at a rapid pace, digital users need a primary storage, preferably large enough for them to store a lot of various media like photos, videos and games. This is where hard disk drives come in.





          So what are hard disk drives? A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access device for digital device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the platters. Introduced by IBM in 1956, hard disk drives have fallen in cost and physical size over the years while dramatically increasing in capacity. 


          There are 2 main interfaces of the hard disk drives: SATA and IDE (or P-ATA). IDE is one of the oldest technology available and it stands for Integrated Drive Electronics. As for SATA, it stands for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. Since IDE technology is old, it basically provides lower speed than SATA. The SATA interface is a better technology as it provides better transfer rates and speed.


          There are also 2 common sizes (form factor) of hard disk drives that are mainstream in the market now too. One is 3.5" and the other one is 2.5" . 3.5" are normally internal hard disk drives for desktops and requires much power to power the drives up, whereas 2.5" are normally fitted into laptops or enclosed in an external case for maximum portability. This is the most common knowledge and information about hard disk drives an observant computer user should know.

          There are many brands that are mass producing and manufacturing hard disk drives like Samsung, Western Digital, Seagate, Buffalo and Maxtor. Personally, I like Seagate as it never fails me before. I have brought Samsung and WD (Western Digital) and they have crashed on me once. 




          Advantages of using hard disk drives compared to other storage mediums:


1. Hard disk space is relatively cheap, as low as RM 0.20 per GB .
2. Hard disks drives are able store the most amount of data.
3. Hard disks store data without the need for a constant electricity supply 
4. Hard disks allow data to be stored in one place which is more convenient than using DVDs for example. 


Video embedded here will brief you shortly about the contents of a mechanical hard disk drive!





         Next up, we will talk about solid state drives (SSD). So stay tuned ! (: