Computer Systems: I/O Performance and Architectures

What is the main difference between SSDs and RAM?

SSDs are slower than RAM by a factor of around 100,000.

What is the purpose of wear leveling in SSDs?

To prolong the life of the SSD by spreading updates across the entire medium.

What is the main advantage of Optical Disks?

High storage capacity at a low cost.

What is the purpose of the Joint Electron Devices Engineering Council (JEDEC) standards?

To set standards for measuring SSD performance and reliability. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between Blu-Ray discs and DVDs?

Blu-Ray discs use a shorter wavelength laser. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of Linear Tape-Open (LTO) standard?

Multiple error correction levels for superior reliability. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the DMA?

To handle I/O processing and offload tasks from the CPU Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between Channel I/O and DMA?

Channel I/O has I/O processors, while DMA does not Signup and view all the answers

What type of devices process one byte at a time?

Character I/O devices Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of serial data transmission over parallel data transmission?

Fewer conductors required Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) and Solid State Drives (SSDs)?

HDDs have moving parts, while SSDs use flash memory Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary performance factor that affects the speed of Hard Disk Drives (HDDs)?

Seek Time Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of a computer system?

Data storage and retrieval Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of sluggish I/O throughput on a system with virtual memory?

A ripple effect on system performance Signup and view all the answers

What is Amdahl's Law used for?

Quantifying the performance improvement of a system component Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of an I/O architecture?

Moving data between external devices and the host system Signup and view all the answers

How does Interrupt-Driven I/O improve system performance?

By allowing the CPU to do other tasks until I/O is requested Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of Memory-Mapped I/O?

I/O devices and main memory share the same address space Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of cantilevers in the Millipede storage system?

To record binary 1 by pressing a heated tip into a polymer substrate Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of Enterprise SSDs?

They save energy and provide improved data access Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of Memristors?

They combine resistor properties with memory Signup and view all the answers

What is the main challenge of data storage?

Locating data after it's stored Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of RAID 3?

To stripe data with dedicated parity disk Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential replacement for magnetic disks in the future?

Biological, holographic, CNT, memristor, or mechanical technologies Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of RAID 1?

100% redundancy and good performance Signup and view all the answers

What is the main limitation of RAID 4?

It requires all record blocks to be the same size Signup and view all the answers

What is the advantage of Double Parity RAID (RAID DP)?

It can tolerate the loss of two disks Signup and view all the answers

What has defied efforts to define the ultimate upper limit?

Magnetic disk storage capacity Signup and view all the answers

What is a promising technology for future data storage?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is the main challenge in holographic storage?

Finding an inexpensive, stable, and rewritable holographic medium Signup and view all the answers