Storage device

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Alternatively referred to as storage, storage media, or storage medium, a storage device is any hardware capable of holding information.

There are two types of storage devices used in computers; a primary storage device, such as RAM, and a secondary storage device, like a hard drive. Secondary storage can be a removable, internal, or external storage. The picture shows an example of a Drobo, an external secondary storage device.

Without a storage device, your computer would not be able to save any settings or information and would be considered a dumb terminal.

The following are some additional examples of types of storage devices used with computers.

Magnetic storage devices

Today, magnetic storage is one of the most common types of storage used with computers today and is the technology computer hard drives use.

Optical storage devices

Another common storage is optical storage, which uses lasers and lights as its method of reading and writing data.

Flash memory devices

Today, flash memory has started replacing magnetic media as it becomes cheaper and more efficient solution.

Online and cloud

Another growing method of storing data online and cloud storage, which is becoming popular as people need to access their data from more than one device.

When saving anything on a computer, it may ask you for a storage location, which is the area in which you would like to save the information. By default, most information is saved to your computer hard drive. If you want to move the information to another computer, save it to a removable storage device such as a flash drive.

Keep in mind that although these devices do send and receive information, they are not considered an input device or output device.

Also see: CD terms, Cloud, Floppy drive terms, Hard drive terms, Memory terms, SAN, Non-volatile, Tape terms