storage hierarchy


storage hierarchy

The range of memory and storage devices within the computer system. The following list starts with the slowest devices and ends with the fastest. See storage and memory.

VERY SLOW Punch cards (obsolete) Punched paper tape (obsolete) FASTER Bubble memory (obsolete) Floppy disks (obsolete) MUCH FASTER Magnetic tape Optical discs (CD, DVD, MO, etc.) Magnetic disks Low-speed bulk memory FASTEST Flash memory Main memory (DRAM) Cache memory (SRAM) Microcode Registers