Data storage

Data storage is the way we keep information safe so we can find it later. We store data using different materials and methods, like writing by hand, recording sound, using magnetic tape, or saving things on optical discs such as CDs and DVDs. Even tiny molecules in living things, like RNA and DNA, can be thought of as storing information.

To store data electronically, we need electricity. This is how computers save information. Digital data is information saved in a way that machines can read and understand. One important job of a computer is to store and manage this data. Saving electronic documents takes up much less space than saving the same information on paper. We can also record data on paper using special codes like barcodes or a printing method called magnetic ink character recognition (MICR), which machines can read quickly.

Recording media

A recording medium is a material that can hold information. New information can be stored in four main ways: print, film, magnetic, and optical. We can see or hear this information through telephones, radios, TVs, the Internet, or even directly.

Digital information is kept on electronic media in many different recording formats. Sometimes, people call the data and the electronic media "software," even though we usually use "software" to talk about computer software. With traditional art, tools like crayons can be both the tool and the medium, as the wax, charcoal, or chalk becomes part of the artwork.

Some recording media are temporary, either on purpose or naturally. For example, smoke signals or skywriting only last a short time. Depending on how quickly they disappear, things like gas or even a lake might be thought of as temporary ways to record information.

Global capacity, digitization, and trends

A report from 2003 said that about five exabytes of new information was made in 2002, and most of it was saved on magnetic media like hard drives. This was twice as much as in 1999. In 2007, the total amount of digital data was estimated to be 281 exabytes.

By 2002, more information was stored digitally than in older ways. In 1986, only 1% of the world’s storage was digital, but by 2007, this grew to 94%. Digital storage grew quickly, doubling about every three to four years.

It is estimated that around 120 zettabytes of data will be created in 2023, and this number is expected to rise to 181 zettabytes by 2025.

Mass storage

Mass storage means keeping lots of information in a special place where we can find it later. People have used many ways to store data, like writing by hand or making sounds into recordings. Today, we often use things like magnetic tapes and optical discs, which are like shiny circles that hold computer information. Even tiny parts inside living things, such as RNA and DNA, can be thought of as natural ways to store data.