IBM scientists capture record-breaking 330TB of uncompressed data in tiny cartridge

We’ve all seen the rise of USB sticks that have made it possible to store a whopping amount of data in a tiny, easy-to-carry device. The latest stride in this department was taken by scientists at the IBM.

In a new world record, IBM scientists using Sony's “Magnetic Tape” managed to capture 330 terabytes of uncompressed data. The tape drive is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand.



Invented over 60 years ago, tape drives were traditionally used for archiving tax documents and health care records.

Sony Storage Media Solutions indicated the viability of continuing to scale up storage on tapes for another decade.

“The tape has traditionally been used for video archives, back-up files, replicas for disaster recovery and retention of information on premise, but the industry is also expanding to off-premise applications in the cloud,” said IBM fellow Evangelos Eleftheriou in a statement.


“While sputtered tape is expected to cost a little more to manufacture than current commercial tape, the potential for very high capacity will make the cost per terabyte very attractive, making this technology practical for cold storage in the cloud.”



In order for researchers to achieve such high storage capacity, IBM researchers had to develop several new technologies.

Working closely with Sony, the IBM stated, “the results of this collaboration have led to various improvements in the media technology, such as advanced roll-to-roll technology for long sputtered tape fabrication and better lubricant technology, which stabilizes the functionality of the magnetic tape.”

 

This article originally appeared on The Verge.