Hard Disk Drive
A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is a non-volatile data storage device that uses magnetic storage to store and retrieve digital information on rapidly rotating platters coated with magnetic material. It is a traditional electromechanical storage technology that provides high-capacity, cost-effective storage for computers and servers, though it is slower than solid-state alternatives. HDDs are commonly used for bulk data storage, backups, and archival purposes where speed is less critical than capacity and cost.
Developers should learn about HDDs when working with systems that require large-scale, affordable storage, such as data centers, media servers, or legacy infrastructure, as they offer higher capacities per dollar compared to SSDs. Understanding HDDs is essential for optimizing storage hierarchies, managing I/O performance in applications with heavy read/write operations, and ensuring data durability in backup and archival scenarios. It is also crucial for troubleshooting hardware-related issues in on-premises or hybrid cloud environments.