Magnetic Tape Storage Technology can store 330 TB

IBM Research, in collaboration with Sony Storage Media Solutions, has announced that the two companies have created a tiny prototype storage cartridge that can store up to 330 terabytes of uncompressed data and still fit into the palm of your hand.

The cartridge, called a sputtered magnetic tape, has an areal density of 201 gigabits per square inch, which is a world record and more than 20 times the density of commercial tape drives. 

“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.”

IBM worked closely with Sony for several years, particularly on enabling increased areal recording densities. “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.”