Breaking boundaries

Please tell us about your participation at Intersec this year.

We came to Intersec Dubai 2024 with the latest in our storage solutions innovations, including the newly launched 24TB Ultrastar DC HC580 CMR HDD and 28TB Ultrastar DC HC680 SMR HDD, designed for hyperscale, cloud, and enterprise data center customers looking for the highest capacity with lower power per terabyte for designing more efficient storage systems and data centers. In addition to our WD Purple and WD Purple Pro family of drives dedicated to smart video surveillance applications.

Has a 30TB disk drive been planned in your roadmap as well, considering one of your competitors has launched it?

I cannot comment on our competition, but I want to emphasize that we currently have the Ultrastar DC HC680 28TB SMR HDD available now. The 28TB Ultrastar DC HC680 HDD with OptiNAND technology’s capacity-enabling features provides more efficient storage on a 10-disk SMR drive, enabling you to store more in the same footprint.

Will flash replace disks in the near future?

Western Digital has been in the storage industry for several decades, consistently advancing disk technology through our sustained investments. Currently, our storage solutions extend up to a remarkable 28 terabytes. We firmly believe in the coexistence of both flash and disk technologies, and I don’t foresee disks being replaced in the near future. The cost per gigabyte of disks is notably competitive, making them an attractive option, but the ultimate decision should be tailored to the specific use case.

Within our extensive portfolio, we provide flash storage options under the renowned SanDisk brand for consumers. In the enterprise domain, our Ultrastar DC SN655 caters to cloud and scale-out workloads. If your tasks involve demanding workloads requiring heightened performance, opting for flash storage is a prudent choice. On the other hand, when evaluating the total cost of ownership, disks emerge as the most compelling proposition. We understand that diverse needs call for diverse solutions, and Western Digital is committed to offering a range of options to meet our customers’ unique requirements.

How many cameras can you support with your surveillance drives?

With our WD Purple drive, you have the capability to accommodate an impressive 64 single-stream HD cameras. When it comes to AI-enabled cameras, this drive excels by supporting up to 32 cameras on a single stream. The WD Purple drive is designed to provide robust storage solutions, ensuring seamless performance for surveillance systems with varying camera configurations.

Are you involved in anything related to AI?

Storage serves as a fundamental component for the seamless operation of AI solutions. It is a critical requirement for any AI endeavour, providing the necessary capacity to store and manage vast amounts of data. Our offerings cater precisely to this need.

During the Intersec Dubai 2024 event, Western Digital presented cutting-edge storage solutions, exemplified by the 22TB WD Purple Pro CMR HDD. This high-capacity hard drive incorporates OptiNAND™ technology, specifically designed for enterprise-class applications, including video analytics servers, AI systems, and deep-learning processes.

In addition to the HDD, we showcased the Ultrastar DC SN655 NVMe SSD, a recently launched solid-state drive engineered for cloud and scale-out workloads. This specialized SSD stands out as an optimal choice for handling extensive data, AI, and machine learning workloads. Its efficient scalability in capacities and impressive GB/watt ratio make it a standout solution in the realm of storage technology.

Do you provide any software tools in addition to your disk drives?

All WD Purple drives come equipped with AllFrame technology, a feature designed to mitigate video frame drops and enhance the overall quality of video recording and playback. This technology ensures a smoother and more reliable experience, allowing for seamless surveillance and efficient handling of video data.

Do you provide data recovery services?

Currently, we do not offer data recovery services in this region due to the sensitive nature of data. Our focus remains on hardware solutions.

How do you view cloud storage?

We consider cloud storage as a dynamic realm where our technologies play a central role in both data storage and accessibility. Through these contributions, Western Digital actively participates in the continuous evolution of digital storage solutions.