CompTIA Tech+ (FC0-U71)IT Concepts and TerminologyMedium
An IT manager is evaluating storage solutions for a new project that requires very high sustained read/write speeds for large files, such as video editing, and low latency for application responsiveness. Which type of storage device would BEST meet these requirements?
- AHard Disk Drive (HDD)
- BMagnetic Tape Drive
- CSolid State Drive (SSD)
- DNetwork Attached Storage (NAS) with HDDs
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Solid State Drive (SSD)
Solid State Drives (SSDs) utilize flash memory, offering significantly higher read/write speeds and much lower latency compared to traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). This makes them ideal for demanding applications like video editing that require quick access to large files.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. HDDs are slower and have higher latency due to their mechanical spinning platters, making them unsuitable for very high-speed, low-latency requirements.
- B. Magnetic tape drives are primarily used for archival storage due to their very slow access times, not for high-speed, low-latency active workloads.
- D. While NAS provides network accessibility, if it uses HDDs, it will inherit the performance limitations of HDDs, and network overhead will add latency.
Solid State Drive (SSD)
A non-volatile storage device that stores persistent data on solid-state flash memory, offering faster performance and greater durability than traditional hard disk drives.
- No moving parts, leading to higher durability and silent operation.
- Significantly faster read/write speeds and lower latency than HDDs.
- Generally more expensive per gigabyte than HDDs.
Memory trick: Speed and Storage: Choose Your Device Wisely!