Backblaze Storage Pod Enters the Historical Record: Computer History Museum Adds Original Storage Pod to Permanent Collection

Key Terms

open hardware technical

Open hardware are physical devices whose design blueprints, schematics and production files are published openly so anyone can inspect, modify or manufacture them—think of it as sharing the recipe and blueprint for a gadget rather than keeping it secret. For investors this matters because open designs can speed innovation, lower development and sourcing costs, reduce dependence on a single supplier, and change how a company earns money (shifting value toward services, support, or brand rather than exclusive control of the product).

enterprise-grade storage technical

Enterprise-grade storage is high-capacity, highly reliable data storage built for business use — think of it as a secure, climate-controlled warehouse for a company’s digital files and applications. Investors care because it reduces the risk of data loss, downtime, and compliance failures and supports growth and efficiency; strong storage infrastructure can lower operating costs, protect revenue streams, and enable faster rollout of new services.

cloud storage technical

Cloud storage is the practice of keeping digital files and databases on remote computers accessed over the internet instead of on a local hard drive, like renting a secure virtual filing cabinet you can open from any device. For investors it matters because it changes how companies spend and earn money — reducing upfront equipment costs while creating ongoing service revenue — and raises considerations about security, regulatory compliance and scalability that can affect profitability and risk.

cloud infrastructure technical

Cloud infrastructure is the network of remote servers, storage, networking and basic software that companies rent over the internet instead of owning their own physical data centers — like using a utility grid or renting a fully equipped office rather than buying a building and furniture. Investors care because it changes how a company spends money, scales operations, launches products and manages risk: it can lower upfront costs, speed growth, concentrate vendor or outage risk, and influence recurring revenue and margins.

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The watershed open-sourced design marks a milestone in open hardware innovation and cements its place in computer history.

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Backblaze, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLZE), the high-performance cloud storage platform for the AI era, today announced that one of its original Storage Pod 1.0 chassis will be preserved in the Computer History Museum’s permanent collection.

First externally introduced in 2009 in the blog post “Petabytes on a Budget”, Backblaze’s Storage Pod emerged from a practical challenge, delivering affordable, scalable cloud storage as a bootstrapped startup. By combining off-the-shelf components for a custom storage server and publicly sharing the design, Backblaze challenged proprietary infrastructure models, and demonstrated that enterprise-grade storage could be built at a fraction of traditional costs.

“When Backblaze began in 2007, their goal was to provide unlimited cloud backup storage for $5 a month. Their first product relied on hardware—Storage Pod 1.0—which represented a watershed, defying the era's proprietary technical norms by using off-the-shelf components and their bespoke software. By famously sharing their design blueprints with the world, Backblaze also ignited a revolution in 'open hardware,' proving that high-density enterprise storage could be built for a fraction of the cost of traditional approaches. We are honored to preserve this original unit.”
— Dag Spicer, Senior Curator, Computer History Museum

The donated unit, internally known as “ul010”, was the 11th storage pod in production and stored customer data for years. Its acceptance into the museum underscores the broader industry shift it helped catalyze, from bespoke hardware systems to today’s commoditized, scalable server architectures.

“This recognition of Storage Pod 1.0 cements Backblaze’s place in the annals of computer history, ” said Yev Pusin, Head of Communications at Backblaze. “We’re proud to see it preserved by the Computer History Museum for future generations.”

The donation recognizes the company’s early role in reshaping cloud infrastructure design and highlights how Backblaze’s open approach to hardware helped influence a new era of high-performance, high-density, and cost-efficient storage.

Learn more about the ul010s journey in the Backblaze article, Backblaze, Part of Computer History.

About Backblaze

Backblaze (NASDAQ: BLZE) gives businesses the freedom to innovate without limits by removing the barriers of lock-in, complexity, and cost. Our high-performance cloud object storage accelerates AI workflows, powers data-heavy applications, streamlines media management, and protects critical data. As an award-winning independent cloud, we provide unparalleled levels of interoperability that enable over 500,000 of our customers to reach and serve hundreds of millions of end users in 175 countries around the world. For more information, please go to www.backblaze.com.

About The Computer History Museum

The Computer History Museum (CHM) is dedicated to decoding technology—its computing past, digital present, and future impact on humanity. Located in Silicon Valley, the Museum curates the world's foremost collection of artifacts and oral histories, documenting the people, companies, and technological innovations that have shaped the world. Supported by staff, partners, volunteers, pioneers, and visionaries from around the world, CHM offers dynamic experiences spanning research, exhibits, events, and an unparalleled collection. The Museum strives to engage and inspire audiences, empowering them to become informed digital citizens and make choices for a better future.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260331481240/en/

Press Contact:
Yev Pusin
Head of Communications
press@backblaze.com

Source: Backblaze, Inc.