Data storage is a system used by organizations and companies to organize and store digital information. Data can be stored in either hardware or software form, stored in the cloud, or on a physical asset like digital tape or a data disk. Data storage in the cloud is becoming more prominent due to its scalability and large amounts of data that can be stored.
With the increasing digitization of our world, the demands of data storage have grown exponentially. IDC estimates that digital data will grow to 175 zettabytes by 2025. That's more than triple the growth of data where we are today. For comparison, know that one zettabyte is equal to one trillion gigabytes. Some of the largest data storage companies include Pure Storage, Microsoft Azure, AWS (Amazon Web Services), Dell EMC, and IBM. There are also data storage facilities in remote locations that are being used by the largest corporations in healthcare, retail, and government.
It's important to learn about data storage to gain insights and knowledge about how all the data consumed daily is processed, analyzed, and stored. You can learn that digital information in applications, websites, databases, network protocols, media, and more is stored on block storage, file storage, network storage, magnetic tapes, hard disks, and in the cloud. All of this knowledge can elevate your understanding of data storage and put you at the forefront of new trends in big data storage.
Careers that use data storage knowledge and understanding include data technician, storage architect, data architect, data engineer, database administrator, and storage and data engineer, to name a few. These jobs are in high demand across all industries, as big data's rise has accelerated the need for people to work in data storage jobs.
Online courses on Coursera in data storage will be applicable to you whether you work in network storage, cloud facilities, or systems administration. Courses are led by experts that are knowledgeable about data storage and can help you figure out your strengths and where best you can apply your skills. When you take this online course knowledge and pair it with real-world applications at your job, the insights of data storage that you learned can take on new understanding for you.