The Coming 5G Transformation

Published On November 21, 2019

The coming 5G transformation is set to transform the landscape of data retention and destruction. Here are five ways it will affect data storage.

The much-heralded 5G transformation is beginning. Major carriers are rolling out their 5G networks in select U.S. cities, where new towers and networks are being constructed. And some countries, like Singapore, are moving to roll out full 5G coverage ahead of its promised 2020 arrival.

5G promises to deliver less network latency, faster loading times and greater data movement. One hundred gigabits per second will be the new normal, so you’ll be able to download that old James Bond film nearly instantaneously. But, 5G will have applications in verticals far beyond watching movies — it will power a faster internet of things ecosystem that will rapidly transform the business of data storage and destruction.

Here are five ways 5G will change the way you store and destroy data.

1. More Data

5G will transmit data at speeds up to 100 times faster than current networks. This will result in the ability to scan legacy paperwork faster, which means more electronic data and the need for more data centers. This oncoming digital wave of data has implications for everything that currently requires a thick paper record. In addition to quickly and efficiently harvesting old paper-based legacy data, 5G will result in billions more end-point data generation stations, all collecting data.

2. More Destruction

Because 5G has the potential to scan items at faster speeds, it will shred more documents that are currently weighing down office storage spaces and, in some cases, warehouses.

3. Offsite Storage

As more and more data is generated, the impact of malware and hackers can have far more devastating consequences. Offsite storage is the best way to ensure data redundancy. The flip side of that is that 5G allows data to be retrieved from offsite silos much faster.

4. AI Meets Data Meets 5G

Expect AI to help sort which data is due for destruction and which gets saved, either physically or to the cloud. 5G means a lot more data, and AI will increasingly analyze and parse this influx.

5. Innovation

5G’s speed will open new avenues involving AI and the internet of things among other technologies in RIM that we aren’t able to forecast. Expect to see changes and innovations as the 5G transformation builds speed and takes off.