Microsoft said that its Project Silica is researching to create new storage technology that uses glass panels to store a lot of data inside.
Project Silica’s technology will allow data to be stored in the glass through a four-step process: writing with an ultra-fast laser, reading through a computer-controlled microscope, decoding and finally storing in library. This library will exist without power supply.
The new storage technology Microsoft is researching could be used to store 7 terabytes of data on a small sheet of glass, and that data would last at least 10,000 years. The glass panels are very small in size, so they will save more space than current cloud data centers.
With Project Silica, data will be stored in small glass panels.
Microsoft is also partnering with joint venture Elire, using Project Silica’s technology to build the Global Music Vault in Svalbard, Norway. This technology will allow songs to be stored using glass panels, which are both environmentally friendly and resistant to electromagnetic pulses.
However, the technology to store data using glass panels is not yet commercially viable. Microsoft said it will take three to four stages of development before the technology reaches the market. However, in the future, it is likely that Microsoft’s cloud storage centers will use technology from Project Silica to store users’ photos, videos, audio and documents.
Project Silica also has another limitation, which is that once data is written, it cannot be modified. This makes this storage technology suitable for long-term data storage for historical or scientific archives.