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Deck 2.3

Memory and Storage Devices

ICT 110: IT for Business

Today's Learning Objectives

By the end of this lecture, you will be able to:
  • ✅ Differentiate between primary and secondary memory and their roles in business operations.
  • ✅ Evaluate different storage solutions (HDD, SSD, Cloud) based on business needs like cost, speed, and security.
  • ✅ Analyze the impact of memory and storage choices on key business functions like finance, HR, and supply chain.
  • ✅ Connect storage concepts to real-world business data management in the Nepali context.

The Digital Brain: Memory vs. Storage

Think of it like your office desk and a filing cabinet.

🧠 Memory (RAM)

Your desk space.

  • Temporary workspace
  • Volatile (data is lost on power off)
  • Extremely fast access
  • Holds data the computer is actively using

🗄️ Storage (HDD/SSD)

Your filing cabinet.

  • Permanent archive
  • Non-volatile (data is saved)
  • Slower than RAM
  • Stores your OS, applications, and files
Memory is for doing. Storage is for keeping. Both are critical for business.

Primary Memory (RAM): The Engine of Productivity

RAM (Random Access Memory) is the computer's short-term memory. It allows for quick access to data that the processor is actively working on.

Why does RAM matter for business?

  • ⚡ Speed & Multitasking: More RAM allows an employee to run an ERP system, complex Excel spreadsheets, and a web browser simultaneously without slowdowns.
  • 📊 Data-Intensive Tasks: Crucial for financial modeling, running large database queries in marketing, or processing payroll in HR.
  • 🤝 System Stability: Insufficient RAM leads to system crashes, lost work, and decreased employee productivity.

Business Impact of RAM: A Departmental View

Scenario: A Growing Manufacturing Company

How does insufficient RAM impact different departments?

  • 💰 Finance: Accountants struggle as large financial reports and budgeting software (like Tally or SAP) become slow and unresponsive, risking errors in reporting.
  • ⚙️ Operations: The supply chain manager's inventory tracking software lags, causing delays in updating stock levels and potentially leading to production halts.
  • 🤝 Human Resources: The HR manager experiences choppy video calls during remote interviews and slow performance when accessing the central employee database (HRIS).

Secondary Storage: The Corporate Archive

This is where all business data is stored for the long term. The choice of storage technology is a major business decision.

Magnetic Storage

HDD (Hard Disk Drive)

Uses spinning platters. Cost-effective for large amounts of data.

Solid-State Storage

SSD (Solid State Drive)

Uses flash memory. Much faster and more durable than HDDs.

Cloud Storage

(e.g., AWS, Google Drive)

Data is stored on remote servers accessed via the internet.

Decision Point: HDD vs. SSD

HDD (Hard Disk Drive)

  • ✅ Pro: Low cost per gigabyte (GB). Ideal for massive capacity.
  • ❌ Con: Slower access speeds, mechanical parts can fail.
  • 💼 Business Use Case:
    Archiving old financial records, storing large video files for training, company-wide data backups.

SSD (Solid State Drive)

  • ✅ Pro: Extremely fast boot times and application loading. More durable.
  • ❌ Con: Higher cost per gigabyte (GB).
  • 💼 Business Use Case:
    Running the operating system and key business software (ERP, CRM), laptops for mobile executives.

The Cloud Revolution: Storage as a Service

Cloud Storage isn't a type of hardware you buy, but a service you subscribe to. It provides access to storage infrastructure managed by a third party.

Key Business Advantages

  • 🌐 Accessibility & Collaboration: Teams across different offices (e.g., Kathmandu and Pokhara) can work on the same financial report or marketing plan.
  • ⚖️ Scalability & Cost-Effectiveness: A startup can start with a small storage plan and scale up as its customer data grows, paying only for what it uses.
  • 🛡️ Disaster Recovery: If a local office is affected by a flood or fire, all business data is safely stored off-site in the cloud, ensuring business continuity.

Storage Across Business Functions

💰 Finance

Uses cloud storage for secure, auditable access to financial statements and for cloud-based accounting software like Zoho Books.

⚙️ Operations

Relies on fast, shared storage (like a NAS or cloud folder) for project plans, blueprints, and real-time supply chain data.

🤝 Human Resources

Stores confidential employee contracts, performance reviews, and payroll data on secure, access-controlled network or cloud storage.

Enterprise Storage: Beyond a Single Drive

As businesses grow, they need more robust solutions:

  • NAS (Network Attached Storage): A dedicated file storage device on a company's network. Think of it as a private cloud for the office, perfect for sharing files between departments.
  • SAN (Storage Area Network): A high-speed, complex network of storage devices. Used by large enterprises like banks and telecom companies that need instant access to huge amounts of data for transaction processing.
  • RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks): A technology that combines multiple drives into one unit. It's used to improve performance and provide data redundancy (backup). If one drive fails, the business data is still safe.

Measuring Data: A Business Perspective

How much storage does a business need?

Understanding data sizes helps in planning and budgeting for storage.

  • 📄 A single invoice or text document: Kilobytes (KB)
  • 👤 An employee's personnel file with CV and photo: Megabytes (MB)
  • 📊 A small business's annual accounting database: Gigabytes (GB)
  • 🛒 A large e-commerce site's customer and product data: Terabytes (TB)
  • 🏦 A national bank's transaction history: Petabytes (PB)

Practical Application: Storage in Nepal

The Digital Backbone of Nepali Businesses

eSewa (FinTech)

Relies on high-performance SANs with fast SSDs for instant payment processing. Data redundancy (RAID) is non-negotiable to protect user transaction data.

Daraz Nepal (E-commerce)

Uses a hybrid approach: fast SSDs for its live website database (products, users) and scalable cloud storage for hosting millions of product images and archiving past order data.

CG Foods (Manufacturing)

Utilizes on-premise NAS devices for sharing internal production schedules and quality reports. Cloud storage is used for off-site backup of their critical ERP and financial data.

Ncell/Nepal Telecom (Telecom)

Manages petabytes of Call Detail Records (CDRs) on massive enterprise storage systems for billing, customer service, and regulatory compliance.

Summary: What This Means for Business

Key Takeaways

  • 🎯 Performance vs. Cost: The choice between memory (RAM) and storage types (HDD, SSD, Cloud) is a strategic balance between system performance and budget.
  • 🗄️ Data is a Core Asset: Proper storage solutions are not just an IT issue; they are crucial for data security, business continuity, and regulatory compliance in all departments.
  • 📈 Scalability is Key: Businesses must choose storage solutions that can grow with their data, whether it's customer information, financial records, or operational logs.
  • 💼 It's Foundational: From the accountant closing the books to the logistics manager tracking a shipment, every business role today depends on fast, reliable access to data stored in memory and on storage devices.

Thank You!

Any questions?

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