Will Quantum Computing Storage Take Place in the Cloud?

You may have read in the news lately that Google recently achieved “quantum supremacy”. Besides a credible alternative title to a new James Bond movie, “quantum supremacy” is thought to be the point at which quantum computers can solve problems that are practically unsolvable for “classical” (non-quantum) computers to complete in any reasonable timeframe. For example, Google’s quantum computer was apparently able to solve a calculation in less than 4 minutes that would have taken the world’s fastest traditional supercomputer around 10,000 years. That’s fast indeed.

What is quantum computing?  

Per quantum mechanics, the ability of subatomic particles to exist in more than one state at any time form the basis of quantum computing. As you probably know, in classical computing a bit is a single piece of information that can exist only as a 1 or a 0. On the other hand, quantum computing uses ‘qubits’ which can be thought of as different positions on a sphere. Whereas a classical bit can be in two states – at either of the two poles of the sphere – a qubit can be any point on the sphere. A computer using qubits can store a huge amount more information using less energy than a classical computer. The ability to instantly process more information and simultaneously act on that information is what enables quantum computers to perform extremely complex tasks at unprecedented speeds.

Quantum Data Storage?

So where does Wasabi fit in to all this metaphysical sorcery? The way I look at the storage market is that there will always be a range, from super-fast and super expensive storage to very cheap and probably off-line.  Wasabi wants to occupy that broad swath in the middle; we’ll continue to offer the cheapest online bits (or qubits!) at fast speeds. We’ll be the equivalent of the 110v grid that powers most everything in our modern society.

50 years in the future? Sure, what we now know as state of the art hot cloud storage could become outmoded in the same way that magnetic tape is becoming today. However despite vast superiority in processing speed and storage capacity when compared to classical computers, quantum computers will always still need a place to back-up, archive and copy to. Quantum computing aside, it stands to reason that the cloud will continue to be an integral part of any smart busniness’s IT strategy through either a multi or hybrid cloud approach. The companies like Wasabi that show an appetite to innovate and pivot at the right time will continue to be leaders in their field.

All that data

Quantum computing won’t change the fact that technology advancements in every field are adding to a data deluge, from internet-enabled surveillance cameras with facial recognition and image searches, to 3D medical imaging and virtual and augmented reality. The Internet of Things is already here and it leads directly to the production of more and more data. Even with the exponential processing power of quantum computing, there will continue to be an infinite demand for faster, less expensive ways to store it. This data tsunami will happen independent of the ascendancy of quantum computing. The fact is, classical computing isn't going anywhere. So “all that data” isn't going anywhere either and will still need a place for storage, archive, back-up, copy, etc. And for that data, Wasabi will continue to provide cheap and fast storage options.

And for all the quantum data to that will need to be stored in the decades to come? Where there’s a demand, Wasabi will have a supply for that too.