As part of the big-data revolution, the world has seen dramatic improvements in processing capabilities. Yet, first and foremost, this revolution relies on the ability to store and access data efficiently. Indeed, as the world’s data grows exponentially, storage devices and systems have become larger, denser, and faster.
Through the prism of the storage media, we will learn when, why, and how the industry modifies legacy interfaces, rebuilds parts of the operating system, and redesigns applications in light of new technologies and new demands. We will follow a timeline of roughly one hundred years, beginning in the era of commodity tape and hard-disk drives and ending in the future prospect of glass-based and DNA-based storage systems.