BETA
Chapter 1
The physical home of digital memories
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Answer
Chapter 2
The journey of a single upload
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Answer
Chapter 3
How servers keep files safe forever
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Answer
Chapter 4
The massive environmental cost of the cloud
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Answer
YOUR GOAL
Master of Where cloud files actually live
Ch 3 · How servers keep files safe forever
marcus Drag files into physical server racks to learn where your digital photos actually go.
marcus Cloud Storage
When your photos go to cold storage up on high, (oh-oh!) / Robot arms grab the tapes so they never die! (Yeah they never die!)
marcus Data centers use semi-truck-sized generators and massive battery rooms to stay online.
marcus For long-term archiving, companies store massive amounts of data on physical tape cassettes.
Fun Fact
Magnetic tape storage: Modern magnetic tape can store hundreds of terabytes of data and last up to 30 years without power.
Glossary
redundancy (noun)
The duplication of critical components or data in a system to ensure continued operation in the event of a failure. Cloud providers replicate user uploads across multiple global data centers to prevent loss from localized hardware failure.
The duplication of critical components or data in a system to ensure continued operation in the event of a failure. Cloud providers replicate user uploads across multiple global data centers to prevent loss from localized hardware failure.
Quiz
What instantly keeps servers running if a data center loses power from the main electrical grid?
Quiz
Why do cloud companies still use magnetic tape cartridges first invented in the 1950s?
Quiz
Which company is a major developer of high-capacity magnetic tape storage technology today?