Explain two emerging trends in respect to computer hard disks. (4 marks)DICT MOD 1 July 2020

Computer hard disks are an essential component of many computer systems, providing persistent storage for data and programs. There are several emerging trends in the field of hard disks that are worth noting:

1. Solid-state drives (SSDs): Solid-state drives (SSDs) are a newer type of storage device that uses flash memory (similar to the memory used in USB drives and memory cards) to store data. SSDs are becoming increasingly popular due to their faster read and write speeds, lower power consumption, and lack of moving parts (compared to traditional hard disks).
2. Increased capacity: Hard disk manufacturers are continually increasing the capacity of hard disks, allowing users to store more data on a single disk. This trend is driven by the increasing demand for storage and the need to store larger and more complex data sets.
3. Hybrid drives: Hybrid drives are a combination of traditional hard disks and SSDs, with a small amount of flash memory used as a cache to improve performance. Hybrid drives can offer a good balance between capacity and performance, but they may not be as fast as pure SSDs.
4. Non-volatile memory express (NVMe): Non-volatile memory express (NVMe) is a new standard for connecting SSDs to the computer, which allows for faster data transfer speeds. NVMe-compatible SSDs can offer significantly faster read and write speeds compared to traditional SSDs and hard disks.