Innovative Platform Indefinitely Extends 3.5-inch Form Factor, Offering Greater Capacity and Significantly Reduced Total Cost of Ownership for Corporate and Cloud Datacenters;
HGST Demonstrates New Platform at WDC's Investor Day
HGST (formerly Hitachi Global Storage Technologies and now a Western Digital company, NASDAQ: WDC) today announced a new helium-filled hard disk drive (HDD) platform, which is at the forefront of advanced technology for increasing capacity and significantly reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) for enterprise and cloud customers.
With products expected in 2013, the new platform enables HGST to go beyond its award-winning five-platter design, providing a path for higher capacity storage and lower customer TCO for years to come. With industry-wide challenges in scaling current areal density technologies, this new platform allows HGST to design seven-platter drives in a standard 3.5-inch form factor that will cost-effectively extend the capacity and cost-per-gigabyte curve for many product generations to come. In addition, the inherent benefits of the platform, including the helium fill, allow HGST to significantly improve datacenter TCO on virtually every level: capacity, power, cooling and storage density.
New Platform for Reducing TCO
With the explosion of data resulting from mobile devices, Internet services, social media and business applications, corporate, cloud and big data customers are constantly looking for ways to improve their storage infrastructure costs and their bottom line. Also, new storage models, such as cold storage, are evolving in ways that require enormous amounts of data to be stored and available within a moment's notice. These hyperscale datacenters must deploy massive amounts of storage with the best TCO to help them manage their costs and growing storage needs. And when it comes to TCO, numbers matter most – cost-per-terabyte, watt-per-TB, TB-per-system weight and TB-per-square foot.
The density of helium is one-seventh that of air, delivering significant advantages to HGST's sealed-drive platform. The lower density means dramatically less drag force acting on the spinning disk stack so that mechanical power into the motor is substantially reduced. The lower helium density also means that the fluid flow forces buffeting the disks and the arms, which position the heads over the data tracks, are substantially reduced allowing for disks to be placed closer together (i.e., seven disks in the same enclosure) and to place data tracks closer together (i.e., allowing continued scaling in data density). The lower shear forces and more efficient thermal conduction of helium also mean the drive will run cooler and will emit less acoustic noise.
"The benefits of operating a HDD with helium fill have been known for a long time. The breakthrough is in the product and process design, which seals the helium inside the HDD enclosure cost effectively in high-volume manufacturing," said Steve Campbell, chief technology officer at HGST. "We are excited about the introduction of this platform, which demonstrates HGST technology leadership and is the result of more than six years of development in materials science, mechanical engineering and process technology. Thanks to the hard work of our research and engineering teams, our initial pilot lines are up and operational, putting HGST in position to introduce this technology first into the market."
"As a technology innovator, HGST continues to invest in multiple R&D efforts that will help us win new customers, gain deeper market penetration and deliver a significant return on investment for our customers," said Mike Cordano, president of HGST. "Our new breakthrough platform delivers unprecedented innovation with new features optimized to meet the performance, scalability, efficiency and TCO demands of both corporate and cloud datacenters, which could not be achieved using conventional techniques. With these improvements, customer interest has been positive and we look forward to qualifying our new drives in 2013."
The new, helium-filled sealed-drive platform is being demonstrated today at the Western Digital Investor event in Irvine, California. At the event, HGST is comparing the power consumption between a helium-filled drive and an equivalent air-filled drive side-by-side, demonstrating a reduction in power consumption for the helium-filled drive of 23 percent. Taking into account the extra capacity coming from two additional disks, the improvement in watts-per-TB is 45 percent. In addition to consuming less power, the drive operates four degrees Celsius cooler, requiring less cooling in the system rack and data center. This reduction in power and associated cooling cost significantly contributes to the lower TCO of the helium-filled platform. The critical watt-per-TB metric will further improve over time as the helium-filled drive platform enables significantly higher drive capacities in future product generations.
HGST will release specific capacities points and product specifications when the platform launches in 2013.
Innovative Foundation Consistently Expands 3.5-inch Type Aspect, Offering Greater Potential and Considerably Decreased Complete Price of Possession for Business and Reasoning Datacenters;
HGST Shows New Foundation at WDC's Trader Day
HGST (formerly Hitachi International Storage space Technology and now a European Electronic company, NASDAQ: WDC) these days declared a new helium-filled hard disk drive (HDD) platform, which is at the leading edge of innovative technological advancement for increasing capacity and significantly decreasing total expense of ownership (TCO) for business and cloud clients.
With products expected in 2013, the new platform allows HGST to go beyond its award-winning five-platter style, providing a path for greater capacity storage and reduced client TCO for decades to come. With industry-wide difficulties in climbing current areal solidity technologies, this new platform allows HGST to style seven-platter pushes in a standard 3.5-inch form component that will cost-effectively increase capability and cost-per-gigabyte bend for many item decades to come. Moreover, the natural advantages of program, such as the helium complete, allow HGST to significantly enhance datacenter TCO on virtually every level: capacity, energy, chilling and storage solidity.
New Foundation for Reducing TCO
With the surge of information as a result of mobile phone devices, Internet services, social networking and business programs, corporate, cloud and big information clients are regularly looking for methods to enhance their storage facilities expenses and their main point here. Also, new storage models, such as cold storage, are changing in methods that require huge of information to be saved and available within a second's notice. These hyperscale datacenters must set up massive volumes of storage with the best TCO to help them manage their expenses and growing storage needs. And when it comes to TCO, numbers matter most – cost-per-terabyte, watt-per-TB, TB-per-system weight and TB-per-square foot.
The solidity of helium is one-seventh that of air, providing considerable advantages to HGST's sealed-drive platform. Reduced solidity indicates considerably less move force performing on the rotating disk collection so that technical energy into the motor is considerably reduced. Reduced helium solidity also indicates that the liquid flow causes buffeting the pushes and the hands, which place the leads over the information paths, are considerably reduced enabling for pushes to be placed nearer together (i.e., seven pushes in the same enclosure) and to place information paths nearer together (i.e., enabling ongoing climbing in information density). Reduced shear causes and more efficient heat transmission of helium also mean the drive will run chilly and will launch less sound disturbance.
"The advantages of managing a HDD with helium complete have been known for decades. The cutting-edge is in the item and procedure style, which closes the helium inside the HDD housing cost successfully in high-volume production," said Bob Campbell, primary technological advancement official at HGST. "We are thrilled about the discharge of this platform, which demonstrates HGST technological advancement authority and is the result of more than six decades of development in materials technology, technical technological advancement and procedure technological advancement. Thanks to the effort of our research and technological advancement groups, our initial lead lines are up and functional, putting HGST in place to present this technological advancement first into the industry."
"As a technological advancement head, HGST is regularly on the purchase several R&D initiatives that will help us win new clients, gain further industry transmission and provide a considerable revenue for our clients," said Scott Cordano, chief executive of HGST. "Our new cutting-edge platform provides unmatched advancement with new features enhanced to meet the performance, scalability, performance and TCO requirements of both corporate and cloud datacenters, which could not be obtained using traditional techniques. With these upgrades, client interest has been positive and we look forward to determining our new pushes in 2013."
The new, helium-filled sealed-drive platform is being confirmed these days at the European Electronic Trader occasion in Irvine, Florida. At the occasion, HGST is evaluating the energy intake between a helium-filled drive and an comparative air-filled drive side-by-side, indicating a decrease in energy intake for the helium-filled drive of 23 %. Considering the extra capacity coming from two additional pushes, the enhancement in watts-per-TB is 45 %. Moreover to taking less energy, the drive functions four levels Celsius chilly, demanding less chilling in the program holder and information center. This decrease in energy and associated chilling cost significantly plays a role in the reduced TCO of the helium-filled platform. The critical watt-per-TB measurement will further enhance eventually as the helium-filled drive platform allows significantly greater drive capabilities in future item decades.
HGST will launch specific capabilities points and item requirements when program releases in 2013.