Secondary Memory (SM) is a form of non-volatile memory used for long-term storage of data and programs. It is used to store large amounts of data, including programs and other data that are not in active use. Secondary memory differs from primary memory, which is typically used for short-term storage of data and programs. Examples of secondary memory include hard disks, optical disks, and tapes.
The use of secondary memory has become increasingly important in the modern computing environment. As the amount of data and programs that must be stored increases, the need to store data in a non-volatile form becomes more critical. For this reason, secondary memory is often used to store large amounts of data, such as databases, applications, and multimedia files.
Secondary memory can also be used to store programs that are not currently in use. This is often useful for software developers, who need to store large amounts of code in a non-volatile form. Additionally, secondary memory can be used to store backup copies of important files and programs.
The main advantages of secondary memory are its reliability and capacity. Compared to primary memory, secondary memory is more reliable and can store much larger amounts of data. Additionally, because it is non-volatile, data stored in secondary memory will not be lost if the computer is turned off.
The main disadvantage of secondary memory is that it is usually slower than primary memory. This is because data must first be transferred from secondary memory to primary memory before it can be accessed. Additionally, secondary memory is usually more expensive than primary memory.
Overall, secondary memory is an important component of the modern computing environment. It provides a reliable and efficient way to store large amounts of data in a non-volatile form.
References
Kaner, C. (2019). Secondary Memory. In Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology. Retrieved from https://www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/computers-and-electrical-engineering/computers-and-computing/secondary-memory
Cox, J. (2020). What is secondary memory? Retrieved from https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/s/secondarym.htm
Gill, P. (2019). What is secondary memory? Retrieved from https://www.techopedia.com/definition/17295/secondary-memory