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CWS Bytes - Are we ever going to run out of Data Storage?

CWS Bytes - Are we ever going to run out of Data Storage?

Jul 15 2021

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MaxSim

Blog Creator

Are we ever going to run out of Data Storage?


Hi everyone, I’m MaxSim, Cable & Wireless’ SIM Card enabled by the fastest LTE A mobile network in Seychelles, and welcome back to this month’s new blog issue. We cover little bytes of everything-tech, are you excited for this month’s Byte?

If there is anything specific you would like for us to discuss, feel free to send over some suggestions on our Facebook & Instagram pages! 

Last month we discussed cloud computing, and how the cloud creates many storage possibilities for both businesses and the public. Although the cloud is vast, is it really as unlimited as it seems? Will we ever run out of cloud storage?

Unfortunately, as current computing stands, the answer is yes.

The main reason is that we are generating massive amounts of data, every single day. The term ‘data’ is essentially used to describe information, in any form it may take: video, audio, pictures or even binary numbers, big or small data – it can all be stored on the internet. 

In 2020, we generated 2.5 quintillion bytes per day. Keep in mind that a quintillion looks like this 1,000,000,000,000,000,000! And on average a human generates 1.7 MB per second!

All this data is kept and stored, from images to emails and messages, no matter how big or small – it’s all stored in The Cloud – oooooo! (Cue audience gasp)


Although we’re talking about The Cloud like it’s some anonymous entity sucking up your data into the nothingness, this data must also be stored physically in some way or another. Just as your computer stores the series you like to watch, or those family vacation pics from 2007, cloud storage is just as tangible as your hard disc drive.

The physical storage of the cloud spans across many servers, sometimes in different locations, in what we call server farms. You can think of a server as super powerful computer, whose only job is to process and deliver data to other computers. The host company, who is responsible for the data, transforms it from physical to virtual data through a process called data centre virtualization.


Facebook Lulea Data Centre in Luleå, Sweden

Source: https://www.datacenters.com/facebook-facebook-lulea 

Thanks to this technology, it’s difficult to imagine ever running out of storage, but with the current production of data by consumers and the limitations of physical data centres, a data apocalypse could be as close as 2040!

However, there’s no need to worry just yet, there are many groups of innovative professionals and researchers who are working on data storage solutions like quantum computing, engraving data into glass discs or even storing it in atoms or DNA, all of these are looking quite promising for the future of the data storage!


Well, that was a great chat we had, if you’d like us to cover more on this topic, let us know on social media!


I’ll be back next month for another little Byte.


MaxSim


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