Backing storage is so named because it _______________.
Backing storage is so named because it Backs up the computer's main memory.
In information technology, a backup, or the process of backing up, refers to the copying into an archive file of computer data so it may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb form is "back up" (a phrasal verb), whereas the noun and adjective form is "backup".
In computer technologies, a backup storage device is used to make copies of data that is actively in use. Backup machines provide redundancy of data residing on primary storage. Should the storage medium, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), fail or become corrupted, the original data is recovered from copies on the backup hardware. The use of backup storage is imperative in enterprise environments, in which the loss of business data is potentially catastrophic.
The term backing storage refers to any non-volatile data storage that will retain a computer's data even after the computer is powered off. Common types of backing storage devices are hard drives, SSD, external hard disk drives, optical media such as CD or DVD, and flash media such as thumbdrives and memory sticks. Older computer systems also typically used floppy disks and magnetic tapes as backing storage. On modern systems, especially computers like netbooks, cloud storage services may also be used as backing storage.