When thinking of the highest capacity hard disk drives (HDDs), the industry thinks of SMR HDDs.
More than ten years ago, Western Digital launched the world’s first SMR 14TB HDD and since then, the technology has continued to evolve, now allowing up to 32TB1 and a 20% increase over a CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) drive.
Businesses like hyperscalers, cloud service providers (CSPs), and large enterprises with increased storage requirements are looking for higher storage density to meet today’s data explosion. Further fuelled by artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing, these organisations require scalability, performance and sustainability to future-proof their storage strategies. SMR can be the solution and here’s why.
Meeting Growing Storage Demands Efficiently
Faced with ever-increasing data volumes, hyperscalers, CSPs and enterprises alike are grappling with soaring amounts of data that requires smarter storage. Host-managed SMR technology addresses this challenge by increasing the areal density of enterprise-class HDDs, as well as overall per-drive capacity through overlapping parts of the previously written magnetic tracks – a technique that allows for more tracks to be placed on each magnetic surface, allowing for higher track density and an optimisation of physical space. SMR drives in some instances can increase density by up to 30%. This means that fewer drives are required to achieve the same capacity needs, resulting in immediate reductions in energy use, cooling requirements, and total cost of ownership (TCO).
Unlike CMR drives, host-managed SMR drives are not a ‘drop-in’ solution, but require tailor-made software to take advantage of this recording technology. For these enterprise-class products to function in data centre environments, adopters need to revise the host software stack, including the operating system, file system and application. They must take on new command specifications and, most importantly, the host software has to serialise data so that it can be written to the drive sequentially. This is comparable to a music track on a LP record that starts at one point and continues seamlessly as it spins.
New filing systems, such as SaunaFS, address SMR’s traditional sequential writing characteristics. By integrating this specialised file management solution, hyperscalers, cloud companies and large enterprises can benefit significantly from the modern cutting-edge SMR technology for dense storage requirements. Especially for sequential write operations (e.g., surveillance, cold storage, archives) or write-once-read-many (WORM) applications (e.g. content delivery networks), these organisations can boost their efficiency and achieve higher TCO savings compared to users of traditional CMR HDDs.
Achieving Greater Sustainability From Data Storage
Sustainability is no longer just an option for organisations – it’s a necessity. SMR technology directly supports businesses in achieving their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets by reducing data centre storage footprints. For one, SMR allows for higher storage capacity per drive, therefore fewer drives are needed overall. This means lower power consumption and emissions – a boon for enterprises aiming to minimise their carbon footprint. Furthermore, by
using sophisticated algorithms, SMR drives can automatically be turned on and off, creating energy-aware data storage. This intelligent power management can significantly reduce energy consumption by up to 43%, aligning with the global push for sustainable solutions. The environmental benefits compound as SMR adoption scales across industries.
Ultimately, storage strategies must evolve to meet growing demands. Organisations must look to balance TCO, performance, capacity, and sustainability. SMR technology provides a scalable, cost-effective solution that redefines these parameters. With its proven track record of enhancing storage density, lower power use, and reduced costs, SMR lines up organisations to ensure long-term success.
About the Author
Uwe Kemmer is Director of Product Marketing at Western Digital. At the forefront of data storage innovation—delivering scalable solutions for the world’s hyperscalers, enterprises, and cloud providers. www.westerndigital.com
