The Failure and Future of "Holographic Data Storage" (Part 1)
In this article, I will discuss the future of holographic data storage (HDS), a type of optical storage. In this article, we take a deeper look at the potential for HDS to innovate.
[Robert Sheldon, TechTarget]
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Holographic data storage (HDS), which uses holography (a technology for recording three-dimensional images) to record data, was once a candidate for the next generation of optical storage. It was expected to have a higher recording density than the Blu-ray Disc, an optical disc that uses a blue-violet laser, and a faster access to data.
Various research teams had tried to develop HDS, but even though they had created prototypes, they had failed to produce any positive results. However, the effort is not in vain, as Microsoft's research project "Project HSD: Holographic Storage Device for the Cloud" is breathing new life into HDS, aiming to make it practical for cloud services. This research and development is a collaboration between Microsoft Research, Microsoft's research arm, and a team from Microsoft Azure, a cloud service.
Companies have been focusing on HDS, not HDD or SSD.
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HDS uses the refractive index of light to record data in three dimensions. For this reason, it is also called 3D (three-dimensional) storage. Lasers are used to read and write data. CDs, DVDs, and HDDs can only record data on the surface of the recording medium, which is similar to other optical storage devices. With HDS, more data can be recorded in the same space by using a three-dimensional recording layer. At the same time, the speed of writing and reading data can be increased.
The first person to propose HDS in the early 1960s was Peter J. van Heeden, a researcher at Polaroid, a manufacturer of instant cameras. This proposal was shortly after the invention of the laser.
In the early 2000s, research teams from both industry and academia demonstrated the promise of HDS and took a major step forward in research and development. The outstanding results came from Aprilis, a spin-off from Polaroid, and InPhase Technologies, a spin-off from Bell Laboratories, a communications technology research organization. Both companies aimed to bring HDS to market. However, it was not a commercial success. Later, Aprilis was acquired by chemical manufacturer Dow Corning, and InPhase Technologies declared bankruptcy.
There were other HDS efforts, but they did not bring about any major changes. Most of these efforts used disk-like storage media similar to CDs and DVDs, and focused on WORM (Write Once Read Many) operations. With these characteristics, HDS competed with other storage, and competing storage continued to evolve.
For example, HDDs have increased data read/write speeds and recording densities; SSDs have lowered the unit cost of capacity and improved durability. However, the market still needs innovative storage: according to Microsoft, by 2024, 125Z (zeta) B of data will be generated globally every year. Enterprises and cloud service vendors will need to figure out a way to store that data while simultaneously meeting critical requirements such as data access speed, availability, and durability.
Existing storage technologies will not be sufficient to meet the data needs of the future: HDDs have a number of limitations due to their mechanical structure; SSDs are relatively expensive per unit of capacity for high-capacity use and do not always provide the endurance that enterprises need; and cloud services vendors will not be able to offer the same level of performance as existing storage technologies.
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