Virtual Storage

Definition

Virtual storage refers to the abstraction of physical storage devices into a logical storage unit accessible remotely, often over the internet. Examples include cloud storage services like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox.

Pros & Cons

Pros & Cons:

Advantages	Disadvantages
Accessible from anywhere with internet	Dependent on network speed and reliability
Automatic backup and synchronisation	Ongoing subscription costs for large storage
Easy file sharing and collaboration	Security and privacy concerns (data stored remotely)
Scalable - pay for what you need	Potential for service outages
No hardware maintenance required	Data transfer limits may apply
Often includes version history	Less control over physical data location

Exam Tip

Storage Selection: Be prepared to recommend appropriate storage for scenarios:
• Gaming PC → SSD for speed, possibly HDD for game storage
• Portable device → Flash storage (durability, low power)
• Archival backup → Magnetic tape (cheap, high capacity)
• Sharing files → Cloud/virtual storage (accessibility)

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Question

Cloud Storage

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Answer

Data is held on remote servers run by a provider and accessed over the internet. It can be reached from any location and expanded when needed, but depends on an internet connection and on the provider's servers and security.

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Browse all 2 flashcards on Virtual Storage

Cloud Storage
Data is held on remote servers run by a provider and accessed over the internet. It can be reached from any location and expanded when needed, but depends on an internet connection and on the provider's servers and security.
Virtual storage
Remote storage, for example on a network server or in the cloud, that is mounted so it appears and behaves like a local drive. The data is still held on physical media elsewhere and can be accessed from other machines.

Exam questions on Virtual Storage

2 OCR past paper questions (5 marks) with mark schemes

Question 1H446/01 · June 20194 marks
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of owning films that are streamed or downloaded on demand rather than owning a physical copy.
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Advantages: Can access film (and indeed entire library) from anywhere with an internet connection. No physical storage needed. No risk of films being stolen / damaged/lost. Optical / disk player hardware not required to play film Disadvantages: Reliant on having an (fast enough) internet connection. Need enough storage for download. Reliant on servers of the company providing the connection. People like having a physical copy. If the company providing the stream goes out of business, copy is lost. (4 marks - 1 per valid point, max 4. If only advantages or disadvantages, max 3)
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/ 4
Question 2H446/011 mark
The photo frames can also play video clips. Due to the limited storage on the device the videos are stored on the company's servers (i.e. 'in the cloud') and streamed when needed. Give one disadvantage to the user of using cloud storage for their photos.
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Potentially vulnerable to hacking Reliant on an internet connection/requires a fast enough internet connection Reliant on company servers (1 mark)
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/ 1

Exam questions on Virtual Storage

Past paper questions