In this video from ITFreeTraining I will look at external storage devices. External storage has become more common for backup and to provide extra storage. This video will look at the different types that are available. Download PowerPoint: https://itfreetraining.com/handouts/ap/3c60.pptx Internal Vs External To start with, I will first look at the differences between internal and external storage. Internal storage is essentially connected to the computer via an internal connector. That is, a connector inside the computer that is not accessible from the outside. You can see in this example an M.2 Solid-State Drive used as internal storage. You can also see this hard disk is an example of internal storage although it is not physically mounted inside a computer case. The point being, if the connector is inside the computer and not accessible from the outside, it is considered internal storage. Internal storage is generally faster and less likely to support hot-swapping. The advantage of it being inside the computer is it is less likely to be accidently unplugged. By contrast, external storage is connected to the computer using an external connector. These will be found generally in the IO area or an external port like a USB, eSATA or Thunderbolt connector. These connections are generally slower, although new connections like USB 3 and Thunderbolt are pretty fast. The advantage of external connectors is they are generally hot-swappable. That is, you can plug and unplug them without having to shut down the computer. The disadvantage is that they are easy to accidentally unplug. Since they are external to the computer, they are more subject to being bumped and a connection breaking. The connections are generally more prone to coming loose. For example, once you screw in an M.2 Solid-State Drive it is not coming out; however, a USB connection can come loose from either being knocked or pulled. So, let’s have a look at when you would use an external storage device. External Storage One of the common reasons to use external storage is to increase the data capacity of a computer. For example, if you have a lot of video files, a common method of storing these would be to use external storage. You could of course install an extra storage device inside the computer, however, in some cases it is easier just to plug in an external storage device. This is also an option if the computer does not support any additional internal storage devices. The next common use is for backups. External storage devices don’t cost that much nowadays. Purchasing one is an easy way to back up your data. You can use the backup software that comes with the operating system or simply copy the files you don’t want to use onto the storage device. External storage is useful in that it is very portable. This makes it easy to transport the storage between different computers. This also makes it useful for transferring data between computers. What kind of external storage you purchase will determine how you will connect it to your computer. Some are essentially enclosures and will require power in order to operate. This makes them a little harder to use since you have to plug the power cable in as well as the data cable. Description too long for YouTube. Please see the following link for the rest of the description. https://itfreetraining.com/ap/3c60 References “The Official CompTIA A+ Core Study Guide (Exam 220-1001)” Chapter 6 Paragraph 261-266 “USB hardware” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_hardware “Picture: Inside computer” https://unsplash.com/photos/EOAKUQcsFIU “Picture: USB Hub” https://pixabay.com/photos/usb-hub-memory-stick-computer-4558673/ “Picture: Cat running” https://pixabay.com/photos/bengal-cat-cat-run-race-pet-6307545/ “Picture: Matrix graphic” https://pixabay.com/photos/matrix-earth-global-international-2502954/ “Picture: Matrix code” https://pixabay.com/photos/neourban-laptop-hardware-computer-1808082/ “Picture: USB plugs” https://pixabay.com/photos/usb-outlet-link-informatics-cable-2327518/ “Picture: USB 2 logo”https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Certified_Hi-Speed_USB.svg “Picture: USB 3 logo” https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Certified_SuperSpeed_USB_5_Gbps_Logo.svg “Picture: USB 4” https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Certified_USB4_40Gbps_Logo.svg “Picture: eSata logo” https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/09/ESATA_Logo.svg “Picture: Thunderbolt logo” https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Thunderbolt.svg “Picture: Wiring background” https://unsplash.com/photos/ImcUkZ72oUs “Picture: Race track” https://unsplash.com/photos/ij5_qCBpIVY Credits Trainer: Austin Mason http://ITFreeTraining.com/ Voice Talent: HP Lewis http://hplewis.com/ Quality Assurance: Brett Batson http://www.pbb-proofreading.uk/