Secondary Storage

    AQA
    GCSE

    Secondary storage provides non-volatile retention of data, programs, and operating systems when power is lost, distinguishing it fundamentally from volatile primary memory (RAM). Candidates must analyse the three main technologies—magnetic (HDD, tape), optical (CD, DVD, Blu-ray), and solid-state (SSD, flash)—evaluating their suitability based on six key characteristics: capacity, speed, portability, durability, reliability, and cost per GB. Mastery requires the application of these characteristics to specific user scenarios (AO2) and the mathematical calculation of storage requirements for various data types (AO2).

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    Objectives
    3
    Exam Tips
    4
    Pitfalls
    4
    Key Terms
    5
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award 1 mark for stating that secondary storage is non-volatile and required to retain data when power is turned off
    • Award 1 mark for correctly identifying Solid State Drives (SSD) as having faster read/write speeds compared to Magnetic Hard Drives (HDD)
    • Credit responses that justify the choice of optical media for distribution based on low cost per unit and portability
    • Award 1 mark for calculating total storage requirements by multiplying file size by the number of files, ensuring correct unit conversion
    • Candidates must link the specific characteristic (e.g., durability) to the scenario (e.g., an action camera subject to vibration) to gain application marks

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award 1 mark for stating that secondary storage is non-volatile and required to retain data when power is turned off
    • Award 1 mark for correctly identifying Solid State Drives (SSD) as having faster read/write speeds compared to Magnetic Hard Drives (HDD)
    • Credit responses that justify the choice of optical media for distribution based on low cost per unit and portability
    • Award 1 mark for calculating total storage requirements by multiplying file size by the number of files, ensuring correct unit conversion
    • Candidates must link the specific characteristic (e.g., durability) to the scenario (e.g., an action camera subject to vibration) to gain application marks

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Memorize the six characteristics (Capacity, Speed, Portability, Durability, Reliability, Cost) and use them as headings to structure 'Compare' or 'Justify' answers
    • 💡When asked to recommend a device, always link the characteristic directly to the scenario (e.g., 'The action camera needs an SSD because it is durable against vibrations')
    • 💡For calculation questions, show your working for unit conversions (e.g., MB to GB), as method marks are often available even if the final answer is incorrect

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Using vague adjectives like 'cheap' or 'fast' without a comparator or context (e.g., writing 'SSD is fast' instead of 'SSD has faster access speeds than HDD')
    • Confusing 'memory' (RAM/ROM) with 'secondary storage' (HDD/SSD), particularly regarding volatility and purpose
    • Conflating 'durability' (resistance to physical shock/damage) with 'reliability' (consistency of performance over time and longevity of data retention)
    • Stating 'Cloud' is a type of physical storage hardware rather than a service that utilizes magnetic or solid-state drives

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    State
    Explain
    Compare
    Justify
    Calculate

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