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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Ministry of Education
Prince Sattam Bin Abdul-Aziz University
College of Computer Engineering and Sciences
Department of IS
Project IT_infrastrucure
Disks Mechanical hard disks SSD disks in IT

infrastructure
Students name:
 WEDAD BAKEET SAAD: 442005076
 LEENA AHMED: 442001574
 Sadeem Khamis: 443034215
Introduction:
Data storage is a critical function in IT infrastructure. Businesses and

organizations rely on data to operate effectively, and the ability to store and
access data quickly and efficiently is essential for businesses to make
informed decisions. The two most common types of storage devices used
in IT infrastructure are mechanical hard disks and solid-state disks. In this
research paper, we will explore in detail the differences between these two
types of storage devices, their working mechanisms, performance and
efficiency, as well as their applications in IT infrastructure.
Basic Definitions:
Mechanical hard disks are traditional storage devices that use spinning
disks to read and write data. These disks are coated with a magnetic
material that stores the data. A read/write head moves across the disk's
surface to read and write data.
Solid-state disks, on the other hand, are storage devices that use flash
memory to store and retrieve data. They have no moving parts and are
much faster than mechanical hard disks.
Importance of Hard Disks and SSDs in IT Infrastructure:
Data storage is essential for businesses and organizations of all sizes. The
ability to store and access data quickly and efficiently is crucial for
businesses to operate effectively. Hard disks and SSDs are the two most
common types of storage devices used in IT infrastructure. They provide
different advantages and disadvantages, and businesses must choose the
right storage device based on their needs.
Working Mechanisms:
Mechanical hard disks consist of spinning disks that are coated with a
magnetic material. A read/write head moves across the disk's surface to
read and write data. The read/write head is connected to an actuator arm
that moves it across the disk's surface. The spinning disks and moving
parts make mechanical hard disks slower than solid-state disks.
Solid-state disks use flash memory to store and retrieve data. Flash
memory is a non-volatile memory that retains data even when the power is
turned off. SSDs have no moving parts, making them much faster than
mechanical hard disks. They also consume less power and generate less
heat than mechanical hard disks.
Performance and Efficiency:

Solid-state disks are much faster than mechanical hard disks. They have no
moving parts, making them faster at accessing data. SSDs also have faster
read and write speeds than mechanical hard disks. This makes them ideal
for applications that require fast access to data, such as gaming, video
editing, and data processing.
Mechanical hard disks are slower than SSDs. They have moving parts,
which makes them slower at accessing data. However, they have a higher
storage capacity than SSDs. This makes them ideal for applications that
require large amounts of storage, such as backup and archival storage.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Mechanical Hard
Disks:
Mechanical hard disks have several advantages and disadvantages. The

main advantage of mechanical hard disks is their high storage capacity.
They can store terabytes of data, making them ideal for applications that
require large amounts of storage. Mechanical hard disks are also less
expensive than SSDs, making them more cost-effective for businesses with
a limited budget.
However, mechanical hard disks have several disadvantages. The main
disadvantage is their slow read and write speeds. The spinning disks and
moving parts make mechanical hard disks slower at accessing data than
SSDs. Mechanical hard disks are also less reliable than SSDs because they
have moving parts that can fail.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Solid-State Disks:
Solid-state disks also have several advantages and disadvantages. The

main advantage of SSDs is their fast read and write speeds. They have no
moving parts, making them much faster at accessing data than mechanical
hard disks. SSDs are also more reliable than mechanical hard disks
because they have no moving parts that can fail.
However, SSDs have several disadvantages. The main disadvantage is their

high cost. SSDs are more expensive than mechanical hard disks, making
them less cost-effective for businesses with a limited budget. SSDs also
have a lower storage capacity than mechanical hard disks, making them
less ideal for applications that require large amounts of storage.
Applications of Mechanical Hard Disks:
Mechanical hard disks are ideal for applications that require large amounts
of storage. They are commonly used for backup and archival storage,
where large amounts of data need to be stored for long periods of time.
Mechanical hard disks are also used in servers and data centers where
large amounts of data need to be stored and accessed by multiple users.
Applications of Solid-State Disks:
Solid-state disks are ideal for applications that require fast access to data.
They are commonly used in gaming, video editing, and data processing
applications where fast read and write speeds are essential. SSDs are also
used in laptops and mobile devices where speed and reliability are
essential for optimal performance.
Hybrid Drives:
Hybrid drives are a combination of mechanical hard disks and solid-state

disks. They have a small amount of flash memory and a large spinning disk.
The flash memory is used as a cache to store frequently accessed data,
while the spinning disk is used for storing large amounts of data.
Hybrid drives offer the advantages of both mechanical hard disks and solid
-state disks. They have a high storage capacity like mechanical hard disks
and fast read and writespeeds like SSDs. Hybrid drives are also less
expensive than SSDs, making them a good option for businesses with a
limited budget.
Enterprise Storage:
Enterprise storage is a term used to describe storage solutions designed

for businesses and organizations. Enterprise storage solutions can be
either mechanical hard disk or solid-state disk-based and are typically
optimized for performance, reliability, and scalability.
Enterprise storage solutions are often designed to handle large amounts of
data and high workloads. They are also designed to provide high availability
and data protection. Enterprise storage solutions can be used for a variety
of applications, including databases, virtualized servers, and cloud storage.
RAID:
RAID (redundant array of independent disks) is a technology used in

enterprise storage solutions to improve performance and reliability. RAID
uses multiple hard disks to improve performance and provide redundancy
in case of disk failure.
There are several types of RAID, including RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6,
and RAID 10. Each type of RAID offers different advantages and
disadvantages, such as improved performance or increased data
protection.
 RAID 0: uses striping to improve performance by splitting data across
multiple disks. However, RAID 0 offers no redundancy, and if one disk
fails, all data is lost.
 RAID 1: uses mirroring to provide redundancy. Data is written to two
disks simultaneously, ensuring that if one disk fails, the other disk
can be used to restore the data. However, RAID 1 offers no
performance improvement.
 RAID 5: uses striping and parity to improve performance and provide
redundancy. Data is split across multiple disks, and parity information
is stored on each disk. If one disk fails, the parity information can be
used to reconstruct the data. However, RAID 5 has a high overhead
and can be slow to rebuild in case of disk failure.
 RAID 6: is similar to RAID 5 but uses two parity blocks instead of one.
This provides increased redundancy and can tolerate the failure of
two disks simultaneously.
 RAID 10: combines the advantages of RAID 0 and RAID 1. Data is

split across multiple disks, and each disk is mirrored to provide
redundancy. RAID 10 offers both improved performance and data
protection.
Applications of Enterprise Storage:
Enterprise storage solutions are used in a variety of applications, including

databases, virtualized servers, and cloud storage. They are also used in
high-performance computing and scientific research.
Enterprise storage solutions are designed to handle large amounts of data
and high workloads. They provide high availability and data protection,
making them ideal for mission-critical applications.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, both mechanical hard disks and solid-state disks have their
advantages and disadvantages. Mechanical hard disks are slower than
SSDs but have a higher storage capacity and are less expensive. Solid-state
disks are faster and more reliable than mechanical hard disks but are more
expensive.
Businesses must choose the right storage device based on their needs,
such as speed, storage capacity, and budget. Hybrid drives offer the
advantages of both mechanical hard disks and solid-state disks, making
them a good option for businesses with a limited budget.
Enterprise storage solutions are designed for businesses and
organizations and are optimized for performance, reliability, and scalability.
RAID technology can be used to improve performance and provide
redundancy in case of disk failure.
The choice between mechanical hard disks, solid-state disks, or enterprise
storage ultimately depends on the specific requirements of the application
and the budget available. Businesses must carefully consider their options
and choose the right storage solution to ensure optimal performance and
data protection.
Reference:
 The Pros and Cons of SSDs vs. HDDs." Seagate,
2021, www.seagate.com/internal-hard-drives/hdd-vs-ssd/.
 "Solid-State Drives." Western Digital, 2021,
shop.westerndigital.com/solid-state-drives.
 "How Does a Hard Drive Work?" PCMag, 2021,
www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-does-a-hard-drive-work.
 "SSDs vs. HDDs: " Dell Technologies,
2021, www.delltechnologies.com/en-us/storage/ssd-vs-hdd.htm.

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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Prince Sattam Bin Abdul-Aziz University

College of Computer Engineering and Sciences

Disks Mechanical hard disks SSD disks in IT

Data storage is a critical function in IT infrastructure. Businesses and

Importance of Hard Disks and SSDs in IT Infrastructure:

Performance and Efficiency:

Mechanical hard disks have several advantages and disadvantages. The

Advantages and Disadvantages of Solid-State Disks:

Solid-state disks also have several advantages and disadvantages. The

However, SSDs have several disadvantages. The main disadvantage is their

Applications of Solid-State Disks:

Hybrid drives are a combination of mechanical hard disks and solid-state

Enterprise storage is a term used to describe storage solutions designed

RAID (redundant array of independent disks) is a technology used in

 RAID 10: combines the advantages of RAID 0 and RAID 1. Data is

Applications of Enterprise Storage:

Enterprise storage solutions are used in a variety of applications, including

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