Chapter 3

Question 1

Define backup.

Answer 1

Copying of files/data to a different medium in case of a problem with the main storage device.

Question 2

State two reasons why data should be backed up.

Answer 2

Safeguard against loss due to device failure / Protect against hackers / Protect originals when files need to be used elsewhere.

Question 3

What is serial access?

Answer 3

When data is accessed by starting at the beginning and accessing each record in turn until the required record is found.

Question 4

Give an example where serial access is used.

Answer 4

Magnetic tape.

Question 5

State one disadvantage of serial access.

Answer 5

Very slow form of data access.

Question 6

What is direct access?

Answer 6

When the computer uses a key field to calculate where data is stored and accesses it directly from that position.

Question 7

Give three types of storage media that use direct access.

Answer 7

Magnetic disk / Optical media / Solid-state media.

Question 8

State one advantage of direct access over serial access.

Answer 8

Much faster access.

Question 9

Define secondary/backing storage.

Answer 9

Non-volatile, permanent storage with large capacity; can be removable; slower access than primary storage.

Question 10

State three characteristics of secondary storage.

Answer 10

Non-volatile / Permanent storage / Slow access rates / Large storage capacity / Can be removable / Can be written to and read from.

Question 11

What is a hard disk drive (HDD)?

Answer 11

A magnetic storage device with rapidly rotating disks coated with magnetic material.

Question 12

Give two uses of hard disk drives.

Answer 12

Store operating system and software / Store working data / File servers for networks / Real-time and online systems.

Question 13

State two advantages of HDDs.

Answer 13

Very fast data transfer rate / Very large memory capacities.

Question 14

State two disadvantages of HDDs.

Answer 14

Easily damaged if not shut down properly / Many moving parts / Noisy compared to SSD.

Question 15

What is a portable hard disk drive?

Answer 15

An external HDD that can be connected to computers via USB or similar.

Question 16

Give one use of portable hard disk drives.

Answer 16

Backup systems / Transferring data between computers.

Question 17

State one disadvantage of portable hard disk drives.

Answer 17

Easily damaged if dropped or subjected to strong magnetic field.

Question 18

What are magnetic tapes?

Answer 18

Serial access storage media using magnetic tape to store data.

Question 19

Give two uses of magnetic tapes.

Answer 19

Batch processing (e.g., bank cheques, utility bills) / Backup media / Long-term archiving.

Question 20

State one advantage of magnetic tapes.

Answer 20

Less expensive than equivalent hard disk / Very robust / Huge data storage capacity / Fast data transfer rate.

Question 21

State one disadvantage of magnetic tapes.

Answer 21

Very slow data access times / When updating, another tape is needed / Affected by magnetic fields.

Question 22

What is the difference between CD-ROM and CD-R?

Answer 22

CD-ROM is read-only; CD-R is recordable once only.

Question 23

What does DVD-RW mean?

Answer 23

Rewritable DVD; can be written over several times.

Question 24

State one advantage of DVD-RAM over DVD-RW.

Answer 24

Can be rewritten over 100,000 times (vs. 1000 for RW) / Long life / Very large capacity / Can read data while writing.

Question 25

What are Blu-ray discs?

Answer 25

Optical storage media with very high capacity, used for HD video and data.

Question 26

State two advantages of Blu-ray discs.

Answer 26

Very large storage capacity / Very fast data transfer rate / Fast access speed / Comes with secure encryption system.

Question 27

State one disadvantage of Blu-ray discs.

Answer 27

Relatively expensive.

Question 28

What is an SSD?

Answer 28

Solid State Drive; storage device with no moving parts, using flash memory.

Question 29

State three advantages of SSD over HDD.

Answer 29

More reliable / Lighter / No spin-up time / Lower power consumption / Run cooler / Faster data access.

Question 30

State two disadvantages of SSD.

Answer 30

More expensive / Usually less storage capacity than HDD / Limited number of erase/write cycles.

Question 31

What are memory sticks/pen drives?

Answer 31

Portable solid-state storage devices that connect via USB.

Question 32

Give two uses of memory sticks.

Answer 32

Transporting files between computers / Backup store / Security device to prevent software piracy.

Question 33

State two advantages of memory sticks.

Answer 33

Very compact and portable / Very robust / No additional software needed / Not affected by magnetic fields.

Question 34

State one disadvantage of memory sticks.

Answer 34

Easy to lose / Can be corrupted if removed incorrectly during read/write.

Question 35

What are flash memory cards?

Answer 35

Small, removable solid-state storage used in devices like cameras and phones.

Question 36

Give two uses of flash memory cards.

Answer 36

Storing photos on digital cameras / Mobile phone memory / MP3 player storage.

Question 37

State one advantage of flash memory cards.

Answer 37

Very compact and easily removable / Very robust (solid state).

Question 38

State two disadvantages of flash memory cards.

Answer 38

Expensive per gigabyte compared to HDD / Finite read/write life / Lower storage capacity than HDD.

Question 39

Define cloud storage.

Answer 39

Storage of data on remote servers accessed via the internet; allows centralized data storage.

Question 40

Describe how cloud storage allows collaboration on a report.

Answer 40

Members log into cloud / Access given to members / Members edit document / Automatic saving and syncing / History of changes kept.

Question 41

State three advantages of cloud storage.

Answer 41

Greater storage capacity / Data secure if local disaster / Access from anywhere / No need to buy expensive storage devices / Multiple users can collaborate.

Question 42

State three disadvantages of cloud storage.

Answer 42

Needs internet connection / Speeds affected by connection / Hosting company could be hacked / Less control over data / Data can be affected without knowing / Subscription fee required.

Question 43

What is the difference between primary and secondary storage?

Answer 43

Primary storage (RAM/ROM) is directly accessible by CPU, volatile/fast; secondary storage is non-volatile, permanent, slower, larger capacity.

Question 44

In a school, why might they use magnetic tapes for backup?

Answer 44

Because they have huge storage capacity and are very stable for long-term archiving of large amounts of data.

Question 45

A company wants fast, reliable storage for their servers. Should they choose HDD or SSD? Why?

Answer 45

SSD; because they are more reliable, have faster data access, and lower power consumption.

Question 46

A photographer needs to transfer photos from a camera to a computer. What storage medium is typically used?

Answer 46

Flash memory card.

Question 47

Why might a business choose cloud storage over portable hard drives for backup?

Answer 47

Because cloud storage allows access from anywhere, automatic backups, and data is safe if the physical location is damaged.

Question 48

What does "non-volatile" mean in relation to storage?

Answer 48

Data is retained when power is turned off.

Question 49

What is the main disadvantage of using optical media like CD-RW for frequent backups?

Answer 49

They have a limited number of rewrites (about 1000) and can be accidentally overwritten.

Question 50

Why are SSDs not suitable for indefinite long-term storage of archived data?

Answer 50

They have a limited number of erase/write cycles and data may degrade over time without power.

Question 51

What is one advantage of using DVD-RAM in a security camera system?

Answer 51

It allows continuous recording (writing) while simultaneously reading previously recorded footage.

Question 52

Why might a user prefer a memory stick over cloud storage for transferring sensitive files?

Answer 52

Because the memory stick is physically controlled and doesn't rely on internet security; less risk of interception during transfer.