Data storage
Recording information in physical media for retrieval.
Data storage is the recording of information onto a physical medium for preservation. This process can be accomplished using virtually any form of energy, though electronic data storage specifically requires electrical power to store and retrieve data. Storage media are diverse, encompassing handwriting, phonographic recording, magnetic tape, and optical discs. Some perspectives even consider biological molecules such as RNA and DNA as storage media. A recording medium is the physical material that holds information; newly created information can be distributed and stored across four primary media types: print, film, magnetic, and optical. It can also be transmitted through four information flows: telephone, radio, TV, and the Internet, or observed directly. When data is stored in a digital, machine-readable format, it is called digital data. Barcodes and magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) are methods for recording machine-readable data on paper. With electronic media, the data and the recording media are sometimes referred to as "software," though this term is more commonly used for computer software. Some recording media are temporary by design or nature; volatile organic compounds can be used to make data expire over time or to reduce environmental impact. Smoke signals and skywriting are inherently temporary. The year 2002 is considered the beginning of the digital age for information storage, when more information began to be stored on digital devices than on analog ones. In 1986, only about 1% of the world's storage capacity was digital, growing to 3% by 1993, 25% by 2000, and 94% by 2007. The quantity of digital storage doubled roughly every three to four years. A 2003 UC Berkeley report estimated that about five exabytes of new information were produced in 2002, with 92% stored on magnetic media, primarily hard disk drives.
- field
- Information technology, data storage
- known_for
- Recording information in various media, including digital and analog formats
- global_capacity_2002
- About five exabytes of new information produced
- digital_storage_percentage_2007
- 94% of world's storage capacity in digital format
Lore & Background
Data storage encompasses a wide range of media, from handwriting and phonographic recording to magnetic tape and optical discs. Some consider biological molecules such as RNA and DNA as storage media. Recording can use virtually any form of energy, and electronic data storage requires electrical power to store and retrieve data. Digital data is stored in machine-readable formats, and computer data storage is a core function of general-purpose computers. Electronic documents can be stored in much less space than paper documents. Barcodes and magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) are ways of recording machine-readable data on paper. A recording medium is physical material that holds information. Newly created information can be stored in four storage media—print, film, magnetic, and optical—and seen or heard in four information flows—telephone, radio, TV, and the Internet. Digital information is stored on electronic media in many different recording formats. With electronic media, data and recording media are sometimes referred to as 'software.' With static media, art materials such as crayons may be considered both equipment and medium. Some recording media may be temporary, either by design or by nature, such as smoke signals or skywriting.
Reader's Guide
Data storage encompasses a wide range of physical media and methods, from handwriting and phonograph cylinders to magnetic tape, optical discs, and even biological molecules like DNA and RNA. Recording can be achieved using virtually any form of energy, and electronic data storage specifically requires electrical power to store and retrieve data. In the context of computing, data storage is a core function of general-purpose computers, and digital data—stored in a machine-readable format—can be stored in far less space than paper documents. Machine-readable data can also be recorded on paper using technologies such as barcodes and magnetic ink character recognition. A recording medium is the physical material that holds information, and newly created information can be stored across four main media types: print, film, magnetic, and optical. These are accessed through information flows including telephone, radio, television, and the Internet. Some recording media are temporary by design or nature; volatile organic compounds can be used to make data expire, while phenomena like smoke signals or skywriting are inherently ephemeral. The shift toward digital storage has been profound: in 1986, only about 1% of the world’s storage capacity was digital, rising to 94% by 2007. The quantity of digital storage doubled roughly every three to four years, with new information production estimated to grow over 30% annually. By 2007, the total digital data produced had already exceeded global storage capacity for the first time.
Did You Know?
- Handwriting, phonographic recording, magnetic tape, and optical discs are all examples of storage media.
- Biological molecules such as RNA and DNA are considered by some as data storage.
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