A pen drive is a data storage unit that is characterized by using flash memory technology as a storage system and connecting to other devices through a USB port. Thanks to its small size, resistance to shocks, scratches and dust, absence of noise, large capacity and easy handling, the pendrive memory has become the preferred data storage and transport device for the...
4 May, 2011 by fransbernsA pen drive is a data storage unit that is characterized by using flash memory technology as a storage system and connecting to other devices through a USB port. Thanks to its small size, resistance to shocks, scratches and dust, absence of noise, large capacity and easy handling, pendrive memory has become the preferred data storage and transport device for users, having replaced magnetic and optical drives such as floppy disks, CDs and DVDs.
Characteristics
A pendrive, also called USB memory, USB key, USB keychain, USB stick, flash drive or simply pendrive, basically uses three technologies:
Storage technology through flash memory: pendrive memory uses flash technology, a type of non-volatile EEPROM memory whose main advantages are the great resistance to shocks and extreme temperatures, small size, high access speed, low consumption and silent operation due to lack of mechanical elements. On the other hand, it has several drawbacks such as high cost per MB, relatively low capacity and limited number of write and erase cycles. USB port: the pendrive memory uses a USB interface, a specification that allows you to connect peripherals to a computer and also provides power. Currently the USB port has displaced other serial or parallel interfaces and has become the standard connector. USB MSC Standard: The pen drive supports the USB COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOL MSC (USB Mass Storage Device Class), which provides an interface for storage drives to connect to the computer or other devices via USB, so that the operating system treats the pendrive as if it were a hard drive, being able to read and write simply by connecting it to the USB port, without the need for drivers.Applications
A pendrive memory has numerous applications, such as backup, transport of personal files, storage of music and videom, marketing for promotional purposes, secure storage of encrypted data, administration of systems, execution of applications or an operating system.
Tips for use
Let's see some tips about how to use a pendrive memory:
Despite the resistance of the pendrive memory, shocks, falls, humidity, magnetic fields, dust and extreme heat should be avoided. Before removing the pendrive memory from the USB port it is convenient to communicate it to the Operating System ("Unmount volume" in Linux, "Remove hardware safely" in Windows or "Eject" in Mac), since sometimes the data is not written at the moment but through a write cache, so if the drive is removed before the system saves the contents of the cache data can be lost or even damage the device. It is convenient to disable the autoboot function ("autorun") in Windows to prevent the pendrive from automatically booting a specific file when inserting it, in order to hinder the spread of viruses and Trojans that take advantage of this boot system.Source: Pendrive memory
