Hard Disks for All Seasons

The reason the hard disk has ruled unchallenged is simply because no other media has been able to match its all round quality of being able to have a large storage capacity and be fairly indestructible. Also, because a hard drive is a built in component, it seems more independent than other storage media.

Hard Disk Features

The hard disk is very like a record player and is made up of aluminium alloy platters. These platters are usually 3.5 inches to 5.25 inches in diameter. These platters are divided into tracks that run in concentric circles. Tracks are further divided into sectors so it is easy for the hard drive to locate information.

The average good run for a hard drive is three years after which it will turn temperamental. Though a "hard" disk, it is susceptible to sudden jolts and jerks. However, a hard drive has to be worked to its optimum to ensure that it continues to work well.

Enterprise drives work just as well or as badly as consumer drives so the extra cost does not guarantee extra work potential.
The hard disk is hardy when it comes to temperature and the surrounding temperature has to reach 104 degrees F before failure occurs.

A hard drive crash can be caused by something as small as a particle of dirt. This may result in particles of material scraped off the drive surface leading to the jamming of the print heads on the scan axis.

Advantages

Until recently, the hard disk was not portable and built into the hard disk which made it the more convenient option to store data in. Recently, in-roads have been made to make portable hard drives.

Hard disks have several advantages over other storage media which have contributed to their long standing success. The unique feature of a hard disk is random data access which makes it versatile and multi functional.

A hard disk is as reliable as any component in the world of internet technology can be. Added to this is its fast access speed which one requires while working on the computer. In fact the incredible speed of hard disks is what makes computer usage so advantageous.

The hard disk offers more storage space than any other media. Considering the vast volumes of data that are stored, this makes a hard disk the automatic choice.

Considering its many advantages, the hard disk drive is extremely affordable. The only time it can be expensive is if and when it has to be replaced. However, unlike other media that one has to have in several numbers, one hard disk goes a long way because of its huge storage capacity.

The Pretenders

There are several storage media that are available in the market but none have been able to give the hard disk a run for its money. Tape drives, CDs, DVDs, flash drives, have all been used to store data but have made their mark only as alternative backup media.

Portable hard disks have been introduced to combine the advantages of a regular hard disk while offering the advantages of portable backup media. Portable hard disks can be stored at remote locations and accessed from anywhere at any time. This makes a portable drive have a slight advantage over the hard disk. The storage capacity of a portable hard disk is also quite good and comparable to a hard disk.

Mini drives are increasingly used in high end mobile phones to offer similar features as that of a hard drive.

Conclusion

A hard disk is like a brand. When a brand has been established after years of endeavour and service, it builds a loyal clientele. People who are partial to a particular brand will very rarely switch loyalties and associate themselves with a different brand unless there is something absolutely unique the latter. In the same manner, due to its versatility and years of hard work in the business, the hard drive has built a large following. Unless something absolutely mind blowing can be introduced as an alternative, the hard disk looks set to continue its run.