Microsoft has plans to utilize DNA storage for cloud services

ByThomas Wensing

Microsoft can store 1 billion terabytes = 1 zettabyte of data in 1 gram of DNA "DNA memory"It was revealed in April 2016 that it invested in technology, but Microsoft seems to be planning to utilize it for cloud storage.

Microsoft Has a Plan to Add DNA Data Storage to Its Cloud - MIT Technology Review
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/607880/microsoft-has-a-plan-to-add-dna-data-storage-to-its-cloud/


It is a research institution of MicrosoftMicrosoft ResearchThe computer architect who works at the company reveals that Microsoft is planning "building a storage system based on DNA that can be used in the data center." Doug Carmean, Microsoft Research's partner architect, says, "With a three-year commercial prototype system, we have stored a certain amount of data in the DNA storage in the data center."

For DNA storage, Microsoft has set ambitious goal of "to replace the general format used for archiving information," Carmean said, "We are" storage by DNA for you " I hope to become a brand like that. "

Apart from Microsoft, several high-tech enterprises are working on a seemingly fantastic idea of ​​preserving movies, photos, documents, etc. in storage using DNA. You can see what DNA storage is like by reading the following article.

What is "DNA storage", which can store worldwide data with ultra-high capacity exceeding the hard disk, low maintenance cost? - GIGAZINE


Victor Cirnov, chief scientist at semiconductor related research firms, as to how many high-tech enterprises are working on DNA storage development said, "Efforts to reduce computer memory are at the physical limit, DNA can store data with an incredibly high density ", he says about its utility. If DNA storage is actually realized, all the movies that have been created up to now can be stored in smaller storage than cubic sugar size.

In July 2016, Microsoft announced that 200 megabytes of data including music video was stored in DNA, and in March 2017paperHas also been announced.

However, in order to be a practical storage system, the problem that the labor and cost of converting the digital bit to DNA code are too long remains. In the experiment project, Microsoft seems to have used 13,448,372 DNAs, but experts comment that it took about 800 thousand dollars (about 89 million yen) to arrange all these materials. Likewise, Professor Yaniv Erlich of Columbia University also said, "The main problem with DNA storage is cost." In addition, Microsoft said that it is necessary to reduce the cost to 1/10 thousand before popularization, and although many experts do not agree, this cost savings as the computer industry hopes We see it as possible.

ByUniversity of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment

It is also important to automate the process of writing digital data to DNA. Carmean estimates that it takes several weeks to conduct experiments at the moment and data writing speed to DNA storage is only about 400 bytes per second. In addition, Microsoft says that this writing speed needs to be increased to about 100 megabytes per second.

However, Chilnoff pointed out that computer chip makers seriously consider development of DNA storage because physical limitations exist in conventional media. In fact, Mr. Chirnov's organization is receiving funding from Microsoft, Intel and others to conduct applied research. DNA seems to be "too soft", but its lifespan is 100 to 1000 times longer than that of silicon devices, and DNA evidenced by frequent recovery from mammoth bones and ancient human bodies etc. It is. However, the most important feature of DNA is density, which is that information of 1 Kyoto byte can be held in a 1 mm cube.

Microsoft Research spokesperson stated that there is no detailed product plan at this time, but it is said that even in-house understanders on DNA storage approach are increasing.

ByCaroline Davis 2010