Whether you're an IT professional, manager, or a home PC user, you've got more data than ever -- and choosing reliable, cost-effective data storage has never been more important. In this book, one of the world's leading experts in data storage explains all your options, and shows you how to make the most of them. Dr. Andrei Khurshudov introduces the features, advantages, and underlying technologies associated with every current data storage option, including hard drives, DVD, CD, removable media storage systems such as Jaz and Zip, tape backup, and RAID. He presents the pros and cons of every data storage interface, including IDE, SCSI, USB, FireWire, and Fibre Channel. Next, he explains the latest options for companies managing soaring amounts of data, including storage area networks (SAN), network attached storage (NAS), and alternative strategies such as Web-based storage. The book includes expert data storage buying tips, as well as detailed coverage of backup and recovery. For everyone concerned with data storage, from businesses planning for growth and disaster recovery, to individuals who want the best storage "bang for the buck."

Table of Contents:
Preface. Acknowledgments. 1. Introduction. Brief History of Information Storage Technology. Early Storage Technologies. Storage of Sound. Computer Data Storage. Basic Concepts. The Modern Computer. Memory and Storage. Binary System. Bits, Bytes, and Beyond. Storage Capacity Definitions. Digital and Analog Signals. Analog versus Digital. Analog-to-Digital Conversion. Data Sampling and Undersampling. Anti-Aliasing Filter Design. Data Quantization and Encoding. Data Transmission. Error Detection and Correction. 2. Computer Interfaces. Introduction. Interface Speed Summary. Data Transmission: Serial versus Parallel. Serial Interface. Parallel Interface. IDE, EIDE, UDMA or ATA, and ATAPI. ATA-2 (or Fast ATA or EIDE [Enhanced IDE]). Apple-ATA. ATA-3 (or Fast ATA or EIDE [Enhanced IDE]). ATAPI. ATA/ATAPI-4 (Ultra ATA, UDMA, or ATA-33). ATA/ATAPI-5 (or ATA-66, Ultra ATA-66, or Ultra DMA-66). ATA/ATAPI-6 (or ATA-100 or Ultra ATA-100). The Future of ATA. PC Card Interface (former PCMCIA). Universal Serial Bus (USB). USB Hubs. Connectors and Cables. USB OS Support. USB 2.0. USB versus Serial and Parallel Interface. IEEE 1394 FireWire. Basic Architecture. Basic Design. USB 1.1 versus IEEE 1394 FireWire. Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI). Initiator and Target. SCSI-1. SCSI-2. SCSI-3. Single-Ended and Differential SCSI. Termination. SCSI versus IDE/ATA. SCSI versus USB and IEEE 1394 FireWire. Future of SCSI. Fibre Channel-Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL). Basic Terms. Topology: Point-to-Point Connection. Arbitrated Loop. Fabric. FC Architecture. Frames. Cables and Connectors. FC Summary. SSA (Serial Storage Architecture). Interface Summary. 3. Magnetic Recording Storage Systems. Introduction. Basic Principles of Magnetic Recording. Magnetic Materials and Hysteresis Loop. Density of Recording. Reading Data with Inductive Heads. Data Reading: Magnetoresistive (MR) Heads. Recording or Writing Data. Data Encoding. PRML (Partial Response Maximum Likelihood). Limits of Magnetic Recording: Superparamagnetism. Hard Disk Drive. Introduction. Drive Manufacturers. HDD Technology. Basic Drive Design. Physical Drive Dimensions and Performance. Basic Drive Concepts. Formatting. File System. Drive Interface. Drive Capacity Choice. Drive's RPM: The Need for Speed. Drive Installation. Understanding the HDD Specification. Removable Magnetic Storage. Floppy Disk 1.44 MB. HiFD 1.44/200 MB. Superdisk (LS-120) 1.44/120 MB. Zip Drive 100/250 MB. Jaz Drive. Orb Drive. Iomega Clik! 40 MB Drives. External Hard Disk Drives. Summary. Magnetic Storage on Tape. Introduction. Brief History of Magnetic Tape Storage. Tape Storage Technology. Tape Media Technology. Popular Tape Storage Technologies. Summary. 4. Optical Storage. Introduction. The History of Optical Storage. Basic Optics for Optical Storage Systems. Lens and Light Focusing. Diffraction Grating. Light Polarization. Beam-splitter. Light Collimator. The Laser Diode. Detector Arrays. Limitations of the Optical Data Storage. Compact Disc (CD). Introduction. CD: Basic Design. Data Encoding. Making a CD. Spin Rates and Data Transfer Rate. Interfaces. TrueX Multibeam CD/DVD Technology. Recordable CD (CD-R). ReWritable CD (CD-RW). CD Performance Comparison. Understanding the CD Drive's Specifications. DVD. Introduction. DVD Formats. DVD Configurations and Basic Design. DVD-R and DVD-RW or RAM. DVD-ROM. DVD-Video and DVD-Audio. Red Laser versus Blue Laser. Performance Comparison. Understanding the DVD Drive Specification. 5. Magneto-Optical Storage Systems. Introduction. Basics of MO Recording. Basics of MO Reading. MO System: Basic Design. Direct Overwrite (DOW). Magnetically Induced Super Resolution (MSR). Understanding MO Drive Specifications. 6. Nonvolatile Solid-State Memory. Introduction. Basics of Semiconductor Memory Technology. Semiconductors. Bipolar Junction Transistor. MOSFET (Meta-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor). Computer Random Access Memory (RAM). DRAM (Dynamic RAM). Cache. Level-1 Cache. Level-2 Cache. Computer Memory Chips. Flash memory. Basics of Flash Memory Technology. Flash Memory Cards. NOR. NAND. DINOR (Divided Bit-Line NOR). AND. Flash Memory Card Formats. SmartMedia. CompactFlash. Miniature Card. Serial Flash Module. MultiMediaCard. Memory Stick. Solid-State Hard Disk Drives. Summary. 7. New Applications of Storage Devices. MP3 players. MP3 Player with Built-in Flash Memory and External SmartMedia Memory Card. MP3 Player with Memory Stick. MP3 Player with a Clik! MP3 Player with Magnetic Hard Disk Drive. Mobile Phone/MP3 Player. Digital Camera/MP3 Player. Digital Cameras. Digital Camera with Solid-State Memory. Digital Camera with a Hard Disk Drive. Digital Camera in a Watch. Digital Camera with Multiple Recording Media. Digital Camera with a Memory Stick. Solid-State Memory-to-Floppy Disk Adapter. Digital Camera with a Clik! Digital Camera with a CD-R. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA). Palm Pilot VIIx. Sony CLI with a Memory Stick. TRGpro with the CompactFlash Expansion Slot. HP Jornada 548: Powered by PocketPC OS. HP Jornada 720: Handheld PocketPC. Personal Video Recorder. Basic Design. 8. Storage on the Web. Introduction. Internet Speed and ConnectionS. Modems. Broadband Internet: xDSL. ADSL (Asymmetrical DSL). Other DSL Technologies. What is Your Connection Speed? Data Storage on the Web: Case Studies. On-line Backup. On-line Backup, Exchange, and Virtual Offices. 9. SAN, NAS, and RAID Fundamentals. Storage Networking. Introduction. Fundamentals of NAS (Network Attached Storage). Fundamentals of SAN (Storage Area Network). SAN versus NAS. RAID (Redundant Array of Independent [or Inexpensive] Drives). RAID Functions. RAID Levels. Data Availability. RAID Performance Characteristics. Hot-Spare Drives. Extended Data Availability and Protection (EDAP). New RAID Classification. 10. Data Loss and Recovery. Introduction: Why it happens. Poor Handling. Manufacturing Defects. How to prevent data loss. Software for Data Protection and Recovery. AntiVirus Software. Backup Software. Diagnostics, Analysis, and Recovery. What to Do if the Disaster Already Happened. Floppy Disks. Removable Media Magnetic Storage. Magnetic Hard Disk Drive. CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD. Data Recovery Services. 11. How to Choose or Upgrade your DVD, HDD, or CD-ROM. Interface. What is Interface? What Kind of Interfaces are There? What is My Interface of Choice? Hard disk drive. What is the Hard Disk Drive? Who are the Main Manufacturers of Hard Disk Drives? What is the Price Range I Should be Looking For? What HDD Interface Should I Choose: IDE, EIDE, ATA, UDMA, ATA-33, ATA-66, ATA-100, SCSI, USB, Parallel, etc.? 310 What are the Main Performance Parameters to Look For? What Other Parameters Should I Consider before Buying a Drive? How Many Drives Can I Install on My Computer? Is There Any Capacity Limitation for the Drive? Can I Use the Same Drive for Desktop and for Laptop Computers? Removable magnetic storage. What is the Removable Magnetic Storage? Who are the Main Manufacturers of Removable Magnetic Storage Devices? What Type of Removable Magnetic Storage Should I Buy? What is the Price Range I Should be Looking For? What Interface Type Should I Select: ATAPI, SCSI, Parallel, USB, or FireWire? What are the Main Performance Parameters to Look For? What are Other Parameters Should I Consider? Can I Use the Same Drive for Desktop and for Laptop Computers? CD, CD-R, and CD-RW. What is CD, CD-R, and CD-RW? Who are the Main Manufacturers of CD Drives? What Type of CD Storage Should I Buy? What is Spin Rate? How to Understand the Markings of CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW. What is the Price Range I Should be Looking For? What Interface Should I Choose: ATAPI, SCSI, parallel, or USB? Should I Buy Internal, External, Single-Disc, or Jukebox? What are the Main Performance Parameters to Look For? What Other Parameters Should I Consider before Buying the Drive? How Many CD Drives Can I Install on My Computer?Can I Use the Same CD Drive for Desktop and for Laptop Computers?What is a DVD?Who are the Main Manufacturers of DVD?What Type of DVD Storage Should I Buy?What is the Price Range I Should be Looking For?What Interface Should I Choose: EIDE, SCSI, or FireWire?What are the Main Performance Parameters to Look For?What Other Parameters Should I Consider before Buying a DVD Drive?How Many DVD Drives Can I Install on My Computer?Can I Use the Same DVD Drive for Desktop and for Laptop Computers? Magnetic Tape Drive What is Magnetic Tape Storage?What Type of Tape Storage Should I Look For?Who are the Main Manufacturers of Tape Storage?What is the Price Range I Should be Looking For?What Interface Should I Choose: Parallel, Floppy, IDE/ATAPI, or SCSI What are the Main Performance Parameters to Look For?What Other Parameters Should I Consider Before Buying a Drive?How Many Tape Drives Can I Install on My Computer?Web Storage Alternatives What is Web Storage? Who are the Main Providers of Web Storage? How do I Choose the Right Service Provider?What is the Price Range I Should be Looking For?What are the Main Performance Parameters to Look For?Can I Access this Data from Another Computer or Another Location? Glossary. References. Index.