Science of Storage: The Future of Data and Archiving Strategies

Storage ⯀  

You might chuckle over the fact that a 128 GB USB stick once took the form of a 360 KB floppy disk. The evolution of computing technology is driven by the constant demand for greater and more efficient memory. This is true of consumer software products but especially true of business. Rapidly increasing amounts of data are streaming back and forth.

Here are some of the ways that our data needs are beginning to change.

All-Flash Data Centers

The same solid-state computer memory that gave us the USB stick has become faster and more powerful. SSD (solid state drive) technology is now common in laptops and even internet servers. SSD, unlike the conventional hard disk drive (HDD), has no lag team compared to disks that must spin into position for the read/write head. There’s much less risk of mechanical failure. While SSD is faster and more durable, it’s more expensive. But like every other technology, SSD will become both more powerful and affordable until it largely replaces HDD.

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Hybrid Cloud

While not all data transfers have to be fast, the demand is such that in the U.S. There’s already 1 data center for roughly every 100 people. Part of the solution is distributed computing. Controlling software allows virtual servers that can utilize the hardware from any number of connected computers. This creates more stability and scalability as your computing demands increase or decrease. Where high-speed transaction isn’t necessary, such as backups, bulk loads, and archiving, some form of cloud computing is ideal.

Mobile Technology

You can buy tablets with 256 GB of storage and slots for adding more. At one time a desktop computer’s hard drive was measured in megabytes. With Wi-Fi, cloud computing, and mobile technology improving rapidly, you have some impressive computing power right there in your hand. You just need the right app to do the heavy processing on the server end. Imagine life on the road where the network automatically sync’s up your personal files with those of coworkers or clients as you work. That’s already happening. There will soon come a time when you don’t need a traditional computer at all.

Archiving

Certain businesses may have to perform extensive archiving of data for clients and regulatory compliance. Most businesses tend to set an expiry timeframe, and old data is either deleted or migrated to external storage. Greater data stores and faster data searches will be needed. As historical data piles up, you may need someone with a library science degree just to keep it organized. But because archiving is a secondary concern for most businesses, today’s cutting-edge data solution will probably become tomorrow’s archiving solution.

By that time, information systems will be transformed yet again by AI software and quantum or bio-mechanical drives that store petabytes or zettabytes of information. The astonishing part is that you’ll probably need it.

By  Dixie Somers	Embed
Author Bio - Dixie is a freelance writer who loves to write about business, finance and self improvement. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.