For those people who are not too knowledgeable on computer technology, data storage and servers may be nearly foreign terms. They are becoming lesser through the years though. Even kids in elementary school nowadays have encountered and understood these well enough to make it a part of their vocabulary. However, computer users need to know the basics of the two.

In the age of the internet, these two items are perhaps the most important hardware commonly mentioned. This fact makes it necessary for any computer user, whether he has some knowledge on PCs or none, to understand the basic characteristics of data storage and servers. Otherwise, he will not be able to make some adjustments to make his internet service and data management better.

For people who are just about to buy a PC, knowing what data storage and a server means and what these do helps a lot in making the right choice. The barrage of sales pitch from a computer salesman or the illegible technical words printed in or brochure or displayed online may just worsen the confusion.

The term data storage should be simpler to understand though. Its name, obviously, refers to its being where the computer stores information. All the data here can also be retrieved for further processing as the user wishes. Usually, there are two main storage devices in present PC models; one is the internal hard drive while the other is the optical reading device.

Some people call data storage simply as memory. However, this name may only confuse the hardware strictly devoted to keeping information from the processor caches and registers. Caches and registers have purposes different from the large-capacity data storage.

The capacity for data storage is in gigabytes. It used to be in megabytes when computers use floppy disks for external storage. That was also before, when these were used only for word processing only. Today’s PCs have the capability to do more tasks that would require greater available space for keeping information.

A server, on the other hand, is either a computer or a device that delivers a service. In particular, it refers to a hardware that caters to the internet or intranet needs of a single or a group of computers. It may also be a separate electronic device that connects a network of computers to a single internet connection.

Some servers may also act as data storage. These allow all networked computers to keep, share, and retrieve files from a single source. The system of computers connected to it can be considered a domain. Hence, a server may also bear the responsibility of maintaining the domain name system, making it the controlling computer in network.

Vernon Young has worked as a computer hardware technician for many years developing new technologies with major companies. He has worked directly with data storage and servers most often.