Let’s learn how different and think proper storage media

What you need to avoid when using a PC or a smartphone is data loss. Though stored data itself does not deteriorate over time, the data may become unusable if the storage media is deteriorates or damaged. This content explains how important to store data properly and what are differences among storage media.

1. Index
   1. Importance of data storage
2. 2. Which media should you choose for data storage?
   2-1. LTO
   2-2. HDD
   2-3. SSD
   2-4. Memory card
   2-5. USB memory
   2-6. Optical disk
   2-7. M-Disk
   2-8. Cloud storage
   Summary Make a backup regularly

• ・1. Importance of data storage
  Data saved on a PC or a smartphone sometime may be erased due to a device failure or wrong operation. Storing data only on an internal storage of a device cannot allow you to retrieve your data when the device becomes unusable.
  It is important to save same data on multiple locations (make a backup) in order to prevent the data from being completely lost.

• ・2. Which media should you choose for data storage?
  Apart from an internal storage of a PC or a smartphone, storage media is recommended to store data. There are many kinds of storage media and they have different features. Let’s learn how they are different and choose suitable one for you.

・2-1. LTO
LTO (Linear Tape Open) is a medium that record data on magnetic tapes. Though it is not known well, it is highly reliable media with a life expectancy of over 30 years.
Also, it is energy-saving because it does not need to be energized while reading and writing data.

・2-2. HDD
HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is a medium that records data on a metal magnetic disk with a magnetic head. It is usually used for an internal storage of a PC and data storage of servers.
There are many advantages of an HDD. It is cheap price per capacity and easy to use. Also, there is an HDD called “NAS” which can read and write a lot of data at high speed though network, connected by a LAN cable. It is useful because all devices connected with same network can share data each other.
An HDD is cheap and useful, however generally it has disadvantages like not shock-resistant and not vibration resistant. It is not suitable for carrying.

・2-3. SSD
SSD (Solid State Drive) is a medium that stores data in a semiconductor memory. An SSD is good for carrying because it does not have any mechanical parts unlike an HDD. The point is shock-resistant. In addition, it can read and write at higher speed than HDD. However, price per capacity is more expensive than an HDD.
When using an SSD, you need to make a backup regularly because if you keep data on it long time, sometime the data might be lost suddenly.

・2-4. Memory card
Memory cards, such as SD cards and microSD cards that are often used for Android smartphones and tablets, are also a kind of storage media. The major advantage is compact and easy to carry.
It has some disadvantages. There are possibility of loss and damages due to the small body. Also, it might lose data when you store it long time as with an SSD. When you use a memory card, make a backup regularly in order not to lose data.

・2-5. USB memory
It is a small medium using a flash memory and often used for carrying data transferred from a PC or for creating a recovery drive for a PC. Recently some products can connect with a smartphone. It is useful to make a temporary backup of a smartphone.
Disadvantages are same as a memory card, it might be lost due to the small size and deterioration of the memory also might cause data loss.

・2-6. Optical disk
Optical Disk like a CD, a DVD, and a Blu-ray disk is also one option of storing data. Many people are familiar with it as music CDs and vide DVDs. Advantages are easy to carry, cheap price per capacity, and good at long time storage.
Disadvantages are followings; it is easily damaged by ultraviolet, its life expectancy highly depends on how it is kept and how the product quality is, it takes long time to write large amount of data like audio and video.

・2-7. M-Disk
A storage medium called “M-DISK”, which has improved durability of a DVD and a Blu-ray disc is also one of recommended storage media. A special quality of M-DISK is high durability against aging deteriorate caused by a light, heating, and humidity. According to a test by a developing company, data can be stored for hundreds of years.
You can read data on an M-DISC with an existing optical drive. However you need an exclusive drive for an M-DISC when you write data.

・2-8. Cloud storage
Cloud storage is a service that can store data on a server on the Internet. “Google Drive”, “Dropbox”, and “OneDrive” are famous services. You can access data from any device by logging in with a same account.
It is very useful but has some disadvantages. You cannot use it unless there is an Internet connection. Sometime it takes time to transfer files. Also, when using a free plan, the storage capacity is often small and it is not suitable for storing large amount of data.

・Summary Make a backup regularly
As described before, there are several differences among storage media. Select the best one for you by considering in what situation you want to store data. One thing that you need to remember is there is no storage medium which is absolutely safe when storing data. To prevent an accidental loss of data, it is important to save data on multiple media and to make a backup regularly.

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