IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1 Definitions Worksheet: 3.3 Data Storage (Modules 314–324)
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Key terms
Write what each term means, in your own words.
1
magnetic, optical and solid-state storage
2
Choosing storage
3
virtual memory
4
paging
5
thrashing
6
data centre
7
cloud storage
8
cloud storage disadvantages
Answer Key
IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1 · Modules 314–324 · Student wording will vary for definitions
1magnetic, optical and solid-state storage — Three types of secondary storage that store data in different ways (magnets, laser pits, flash cells), so they differ in capacity, speed, durability, portability and cost.
2Choosing storage — Match a scenario's needs (capacity, speed, portability, durability, cost) to magnetic, optical or solid-state storage, then justify the choice with reasons.
3virtual memory — Part of secondary storage (HDD or SSD) that the computer uses as extra RAM when real RAM is full. It is slower than RAM.
4paging — Data is split into fixed-size pages. Idle pages are moved out of RAM into virtual memory, then swapped back into RAM when the CPU needs them.
5thrashing — When RAM is full, the computer keeps swapping pages to slow secondary storage, so it becomes sluggish. Adding more RAM reduces swapping. Virtual memory is no replacement for RAM.
6data centre — A building full of servers and storage devices owned by the cloud provider. It holds users' data, often copied to several locations, and is accessed over the internet.
7cloud storage — Saving data on a provider's remote servers so you can reach files from any device online, add space easily, get backups done for you and share files, without buying your own hardware.
8cloud storage disadvantages — Problems with saving data online: no internet means no access, ongoing subscription fees, data held by a third party that could be hacked, and slow transfers of large files.