salvestusmeedia

Salvestusmeedia, in Estonian, refers to storage media used to store digital data outside of active memory. In computing, storage media are typically non-volatile, meaning they retain data when power is removed, unlike RAM. Storage media can be categorized by technology: magnetic, optical, and solid-state, with emerging options such as phase-change memory or persistent memory. Magnetic storage uses magnetic domains on rotating disks or tapes, including hard disk drives (HDDs) and magnetic tapes used for backups and archival storage. Optical storage includes formats such as CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs, which store data using laser-etched pits and lands. Solid-state storage relies on flash memory or other non-volatile memory technologies, including USB flash drives, SD/microSD cards, and solid-state drives (SSDs), offering faster access times and higher durability but typically at a higher cost per gigabyte.

Key characteristics include capacity, data transfer rate, access time, durability, and endurance. HDDs provide large capacities at lower cost but have mechanical parts that can wear. SSDs offer high speed and reliability but have finite write endurance and higher cost per gigabyte. Storage interfaces (SATA, NVMe, USB) determine compatibility and performance. Storage media are used for primary storage, secondary storage, backups, and archival storage, with decisions guided by cost, performance, and longevity requirements. The choice of media reflects a balance between speed, capacity, and data longevity, as well as the need for data protection and redundancy.