How Quantum Computing Will Help Data Center Operations

As with all upcoming new technologies, quantum computing has been a trendy topic quite recently. We’ve covered this concept in several different lights including the idea of “quantum supremacy” and the possibility of a “quantum apocalypse.” The idea of the quantum apocalypse is that if in the wrong hands, a quantum computer could potentially decrypt anything that is encrypted without much effort. This is why the race to make this technology more accessible is essential. But one of the more intriguing and productive uses of quantum computing is how it can revitalize various established operations. This article focuses on how quantum computing can help the operations of a data center.

How Do Supercomputers Help with Data Processing?

Supercomputers can process data at immense speeds. The world’s fastest supercomputers can complete thousands of calculations in less than one second. This speed of this technology is advantageous for anyone trying to process large data sets, but a supercomputer isn’t just a fast or extra-large computer—supercomputers work differently.

Our everyday computers can typically do one thing at a time in a specific series of operations, which is called serial processing. This processing power can be compared to a grocery store clerk ringing up your items. They pick up each of your items and scan them separately. If the grocery clerk picks up several items, they still need to scan them independently. This is how our computers work. Even if you have multiple things your laptop or desktop is working on, the computer still processes things one at a time.

Instead of serial processing that our everyday computers use, supercomputers use what’s called parallel processing. Supercomputers can process more problems by splitting the problems into pieces and working on all of the different parts at one time. Let’s say you’re at the same grocery store, but now multiple clerks are helping process your purchases. Parallel processing works more like how the human brain works. We are constantly thinking about multiple things and working things out simultaneously instead of only processing one task at a time. Parallel processing can multitask allowing more to be done at a faster rate.

The parallel processing and multitasking done by supercomputers are why they can process more data more quickly. It can process multiple data sets and multiple problems at the same time, making it beneficial for companies looking for the best data processing speeds. Quantum computing can take data processing to the next level.

What Is Quantum Computing?

While supercomputers work differently than our everyday computers, it still uses the same deals with bits with values presented by 0s and 1s. It’s the same format, but with multiple processors that process simultaneously. Quantum computing encodes through qubits or quantum bits. Qubits can store information both a zero and a one simultaneously in what is called a “superposition.” Qubits rotate and are both 0 and 1 in the quantum state to store more data and use less energy simultaneously.

The potential speed at which quantum computing can process data is so immense that the concept of quantum apocalypse has been acknowledged. The idea is that quantum computers will exceed the most advanced supercomputers and that a quantum computer could potentially decrypt anything encrypted. This could be a spelling disaster for many systems that use encryption methods including banking, secure messaging applications, online shopping, and more. But while there are some risks of this new powerful technology getting into the wrong hands, it can also be beneficial for many things including data processing and data center operations.

How Can Quantum Computing Help with Data Processing?

Quantum computing will revitalize and potentially even reformat data center infrastructures. Quantum computing will also change the architecture of a data center regarding networking and security. The data center industry could see the rise of the quantum network and quantum security. This could change the industry entirely.

The power and speed of quantum computing won’t just benefit data processing within data center operations, it will also directly help how the data is shared and exchanged. The concept of quantum teleportation or the quantum computing technique of transferring quantum data from one sender to another location will now be a possibility for data center operations.

Quantum encryption or quantum cryptography will be another part of quantum computing that will benefit data center operations. Quantum cryptography is a method of encryption that will take advantage of the properties of quantum mechanics to aid in securing data and the transmission of data. Quantum cryptography will rely on physics instead of mathematics as the primary security model. Quantum cryptography will also safeguard data from quantum computing, which could potentially defend against the use of quantum computing to decrypt encrypted data.

When Will Quantum Computing Make an Impact on Data Centers?

We are still several years away from quantum computing impacting data center operations. Many believe the time frame for this is still about ten years away, while others believe it could be sooner. Although the timeline of quantum computing in data center operations is still a way away—the industry must acknowledge and learn how the technology could help operations.

Understanding what the technology is capable of and how it can benefit your operation will be crucial in staying ahead of the competition. It will also be advantageous for data center customers. Because it will change many aspects of data center operations, it is essential to know how it will affect how your company functions and how it can support your future system.

Quantum computing and all the various aspects of this technology are still in their early stages. Still, it will drive significant changes to the data center industry, the technology industry, and many other industries. Stay updated with all technological innovations on our data center industry insights page and connect with us for all the latest news.