Western Digital has announced the availability of two new drives that set industry records in capacity: the 26TB CMR HDD and the 32TB UltraSMR HDD.
Western Digital has announced the availability of two new drives that set industry records in capacity: the 26TB CMR HDD and the 32TB UltraSMR HDD. Both models employ innovative energy-assisted Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (ePMR) technology, providing dependable, high-capacity solutions for the growing storage demands in cloud, enterprise, and data center environments.
WD 32TB UltraSMR and 26TB CMR HDDs
Now the highest-capacity drive of its kind, the 32TB Ultrastar DC HC690 SMR HDD model represents a milestone in SMR adoption. It is built for scaling up content storage in data centers and can support data-intensive environments at an optimal TCO. The UltraSMR model has a sequential data transfer rate of up to 257MiB/s and consumes a low 5.5 watts of power when idle. It is particularly suitable for cold and warm storage tiers requiring high efficiency but moderate activity levels.
Complementing the UltraSMR drive, the Ultrastar DC HC590 26TB CMR HDD model is designed for enterprise environments as a high-capacity, direct replacement for existing systems. Built on the same ePMR, it supports 288MiB/s sustained data transfer rate while idling at 5.6 watts. This makes it ideal for scenarios that demand quick integration and consistent reliability for high-throughput applications.
These drives are part of Western Digital’s first-ever 11-disk HDD design, which boosts storage capacity without increasing drive size, signaling a new phase in high-capacity HDD engineering. Innovations like OptiNAND for improved data efficiency, ArmorCache for reliability in data storage, and a triple-stage actuator for enhanced precision support the drives’ high-performance benchmarks.
The “AI Data Cycle” expansion has driven much of the demand for robust, large-capacity storage solutions. As AI workloads generate, process, and require secure storage for vast datasets, hard drives can be essential in maintaining data accessibility and long-term reliability in data centers. In this cycle, HDDs help manage both the inflow and outflow of data, ensuring it is stored cost-effectively and is accessible when needed, making them an integral part of AI’s infrastructural backbone.
Ultrastar Data60 and Data102 Hybrid Storage Platforms
To further support modern data centers, WD’s new drives are being integrated into its Ultrastar Data60 and Data102 Hybrid Storage Platforms, scalable storage solutions suited for private clouds and big data applications. These platforms offer configurations that can accommodate up to 60 or 102 drives, offering up to 3.26PB of raw capacity. Design features like IsoVibe (vibration reduction) and ArcticFlow (optimized cooling) improve the platforms’ performance and dependability, with commercial availability expected by the end of the year.
WD Gold SATA 26TB
Western Digital is also launching the 26TB WD Gold SATA HDD, developed on the Ultrastar platform, for small to medium-sized businesses and system integrators. This model meets the high demands of intensive, continuous read/write tasks in commercial environments, backed by a five-year limited warranty and a projected mean time between failures (MTBF) of 2.5 million hours. The WD Gold HDD aims to provide flexible capacity and durability for mission-critical data, catering to businesses reliant on reliable data storage and high throughput for sustained operations.
Availability
The 26TB CMR and 32TB UltraSMR HDDs are now shipping for enterprise and hyperscale customers. The 26TB WD Gold SATA HDD is also available through channel partners. Additionally, Western Digital’s Ultrastar Data60 and Data102 Hybrid Storage Platforms are undergoing qualification and are expected to be available by the end of the year.
Ultrastar DC HC690 UltraSMR HDDs
Ultrastar DC HC590 26TB CMR HDD
Ultrastar Data60 and Data102 JBOD hybrid storage platforms
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