Computer Recording

Computer storage, computer memory, and often casually memory refer to computer components, devices and recording media that retain data for some interval of time. Computer storage provides one of the core functions of the modern computer, that of information retention. more...

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It is one of the fundamental components of all modern computers, and coupled with a central processing unit (CPU), implements the basic Von Neumann computer model used since the 1940s.

In vernacular usage, memory usually refers to a form of solid state storage known as random access memory (RAM) and sometimes other forms of fast but temporary storage. Similarly, storage more commonly refers to optical discs, forms of magnetic storage like hard disks, and other types of storage which are slower than primary storage, but of a more permanent nature. In most circumstances, the terms can be used interchangably despite their connotations.

Purposes of storage

The fundamental components of a general-purpose computer are arithmetic and logic unit, control circuitry, storage space, and input/output devices. If storage was removed, the device we had would be a simple calculator instead of a computer. The ability to store instructions that form a computer program, and the information that the instructions manipulate is what makes stored program architecture computers versatile.

Digital computer represents all information using the binary numeral system. Text, numbers, pictures, audio, and nearly any other form of information can be converted into a string of bits, or binary digits, each of which has a value of 1 or 0. A piece of information can be manipulated by any computer whose storage space is large enough to accommodate the corresponding data, or the binary representation of the piece of information. For example, a computer with a storage space of eight million bits, or one megabyte, could be used to edit a small novel.

Various forms of storage, based on various natural phenomenon, have been invented. So far, no practical universal storage medium exists, and all forms of storage have some drawbacks. Therefore a computer system usually contains several kinds of storage, each with an individual purpose.

Primary storage

Primary storage can be directly accessed by the central processing unit of the computer. Primary storage typically consists of three kinds of storage:

• Processor registers are internal to the central processing unit. Registers contain information that the arithmetic and logic unit needs to carry out current instruction.
• Main storage contains the programs that are currently being run and the data the programs are operating on. The arithmetic and logic unit can quickly transfer information between a processor register and a location in main storage. In modern computers, random access memory is used for main storage. When people refer to computer memory, they usually mean main storage.
• Processor cache is a special class of storage used by some central processing units. Some of the information in the main storage is duplicated in the processor cache, which is slightly slower but of much higher capacity than processor registers, and significantly faster than main storage.

Read more at Wikipedia.org