What is data storage?

Data storage is a system used by organizations and companies to organize and store digital information. Data can be stored in either hardware or software form, stored in the cloud, or on a physical asset like digital tape or a data disk. Data storage in the cloud is becoming more prominent due to its scalability and large amounts of data that can be stored. With the increasing digitization of our world, the demands of data storage have grown exponentially. IDC estimates that digital data will grow to 175 zettabytes by 2025 . That's more than triple the growth of data where we are today. For comparison, know that one zettabyte is equal to one trillion gigabytes. Some of the largest data storage companies include Pure Storage, Microsoft Azure, AWS (Amazon Web Services), Dell EMC, and IBM. There are also data storage facilities in remote locations that are being used by the largest corporations in healthcare, retail, and government.

Why is it important to learn about data storage?

It's important to learn about data storage to gain insights and knowledge about how all the data consumed daily is processed, analyzed, and stored. You can learn that digital information in applications, websites, databases, network protocols, media, and more is stored on block storage, file storage, network storage, magnetic tapes, hard disks, and in the cloud. All of this knowledge can elevate your understanding of data storage and put you at the forefront of new trends in big data storage.

What are careers that use data storage knowledge?

Careers that use data storage knowledge and understanding include data technician, storage architect, data architect, data engineer, database administrator, and storage and data engineer, to name a few. These jobs are in high demand across all industries, as big data's rise has accelerated the need for people to work in data storage jobs.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn about data storage?

Online courses on Coursera in data storage will be applicable to you whether you work in network storage, cloud facilities, or systems administration. Courses are led by experts that are knowledgeable about data storage and can help you figure out your strengths and where best you can apply your skills. When you take this online course knowledge and pair it with real-world applications at your job, the insights of data storage that you learned can take on new understanding for you.

What are the benefits of taking an online Data Storage course?

Online Data Storage courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Data Storage skills. Choose from a wide range of Data Storage courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Data Storage courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Data Storage, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Data Storage Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Data Storage Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
DeepLearning.AI
Data Storage and Queries
Skills you'll gain: Data Storage, Query Languages, Data Lakes, File Systems, Database Systems, SQL, Databases, Data Architecture, Cloud Storage, Data Warehousing, Amazon Web Services, Amazon S3, Graph Theory, Performance Tuning
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
74 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
SkillUp
Data Integration, Data Storage, & Data Migration
Skills you'll gain: Data Migration, Cloud Storage, Data Management, Data Integration, Data Storage, Data Infrastructure, Data Architecture, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Security, Data Pipelines, Disaster Recovery
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
19 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Introduction to Networking and Storage
Skills you'll gain: Network Protocols, Network Security, OSI Models, General Networking, Wireless Networks, Data Storage, Networking Hardware, TCP/IP, Computer Networking, Local Area Networks, Microsoft Windows, Network Architecture, Network Troubleshooting, Network Infrastructure, Technical Support and Services, System Configuration, Hardware Architecture, Wide Area Networks, Command-Line Interface
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
552 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Meta
Introduction to Data Management
Skills you'll gain: Data Management, Data Collection, Data Governance, Data Analysis, Information Privacy, Data Quality, Data Storage, Data Security, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Data Architecture, Data Visualization Software, Big Data, Machine Learning
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
109 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Google
Data Structures in Python
Skills you'll gain: Data Wrangling, Data Import/Export
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Data Architect with SQL, Spark & Kafka
Skills you'll gain: NoSQL, Data Warehousing, SQL, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Data Security, Linux Commands, Data Migration, Database Design, Data Governance, MySQL, Database Administration, Apache Spark, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Data Store, Data Architecture
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
7.1K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

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Status: Free Trial
IBM
Learn Enterprise Data Storage with IBM Storage Scale
Skills you'll gain: Disaster Recovery, Remote Access Systems, Performance Tuning, Linux Administration, Data Storage, Systems Administration, File Systems, Software Installation, Data Access, File Management, Servers, System Monitoring, Data Management, Data Integrity, Network Planning And Design, Distributed Computing, Security Controls, Data Storage Technologies, System Configuration, Data Security
5
Rating, 5 out of 5 stars
14 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Whizlabs
GCP: Database and Storage
Skills you'll gain: Google Cloud Platform, Dataflow, Data Migration, Data Architecture, Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Storage, Data Pipelines, Cloud Computing, NoSQL, Data Processing, Data Storage, Data Visualization, Databases, Scalability, Capacity Management
Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Tsinghua University
Data Structures and Algorithms
Skills you'll gain: Data Structures, Algorithms, Graph Theory, Computational Thinking, Programming Principles, Database Design, Theoretical Computer Science, Query Languages, Computer Science, Computer Programming
2.8
Rating, 2.8 out of 5 stars
39 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Data Engineering Foundations
Skills you'll gain: Web Scraping, Database Design, SQL, MySQL, Data Transformation, Data Store, IBM DB2, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Architecture, Data Pipelines, Big Data, Databases, Data Warehousing, Data Governance, Database Management Systems, Relational Databases, Stored Procedure, Data Import/Export, Programming Principles, Python Programming
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
58K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
SkillUp
Data Privacy, Security, Governance, Risk and Compliance
Skills you'll gain: Data Security, Data Governance, Data Architecture, Data Quality, Personally Identifiable Information, Incident Response, Security Controls, Information Privacy, Threat Detection, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Risk Management, Cybersecurity, Compliance Management, Encryption, Data Integrity
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
31 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Microsoft
Modern Data Warehouse Analytics in Microsoft Azure
Skills you'll gain: Azure Synapse Analytics, Power BI, Databricks, Microsoft Azure, Cloud Services, Data Warehousing, Data Architecture, Databases, Data Lakes, Business Intelligence, Analytics, Big Data, Data Visualization Software, Data Integration, Data Processing, Data Pipelines, Data Visualization
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
125 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks