Western Digital: Expect more MAMR technology at 24 TB and above
Western Digital has been promoting its microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) technology for many years, but it is strange that the upcoming 18 TB and 20 TB drives do not really use this technology. The reason is that companies decide to use the technology they see fit at the right time. To this end, Western Digital not only plans to use MAMR in the future, but will also open the use of thermally assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology when the time comes.
Energy-assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) technology will enable future near-line hard drives to have extremely high capacities and areal densities, which the industry has no doubt about. But HDD manufacturers have different views on when these technologies will be introduced. Seagate believes that lasers (HAMR) are now used to heat dishes, and Western Digital is confident that microwaves will be used to better change in the foreseeable future. Both parties at least agree that in the long run, HAMR will achieve a higher areal density.
Western Digital has invested a lot of research and development funds in various EAMR technologies and found that the transition to HAMR is very difficult because it requires the introduction of new magnetic heads and the use of brand-new discs, while MAMR requires new magnetic heads and slightly different discs . While working on the MAMR, Western Digital found that the technology might be implemented only partially and still achieve the expected results. In fact, the company's Ultrastar HC550 HDD (and 20 TB drives) will be the first products to use this type of EAMR technology, which is currently called Energy Enhanced PMR (EPMR).
According to Western Digital, EPMR is particularly easy to integrate into hard drives, especially considering the fact that it does not use a spin torque oscillator, which is a key element of Western Digital MAMR technology.
Although EPMR slightly changed Western Digital's roadmap, the company ultimately stated that it had not changed its development philosophy: the various magnetic recording technologies they were working on would be used as soon as they needed to reach a certain capacity. At the time, the company said that they were considering the choice of 24 TB and 30 TB drives and what needs to be done to make these capacities practical.
Here's what Siva Sivaram, president of Western Digital's technology and strategy, said at the Wells Fargo technology, media and telecommunications summit earlier this month:
"The 18 TB product to be launched in December will use a variant of MAMR technology. We are not sure about long-term success. When 24 TB and 30 TB are reached, we will introduce the right technology in due course. We are in The hard drive roadmap sees the path to 50 TB. When we reach 50 TB, we will introduce the right technology when it is feasible. "
Energy-assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) technology will enable future near-line hard drives to have extremely high capacities and areal densities, which the industry has no doubt about. But HDD manufacturers have different views on when these technologies will be introduced. Seagate believes that lasers (HAMR) are now used to heat dishes, and Western Digital is confident that microwaves will be used to better change in the foreseeable future. Both parties at least agree that in the long run, HAMR will achieve a higher areal density.
Western Digital has invested a lot of research and development funds in various EAMR technologies and found that the transition to HAMR is very difficult because it requires the introduction of new magnetic heads and the use of brand-new discs, while MAMR requires new magnetic heads and slightly different discs . While working on the MAMR, Western Digital found that the technology might be implemented only partially and still achieve the expected results. In fact, the company's Ultrastar HC550 HDD (and 20 TB drives) will be the first products to use this type of EAMR technology, which is currently called Energy Enhanced PMR (EPMR).
According to Western Digital, EPMR is particularly easy to integrate into hard drives, especially considering the fact that it does not use a spin torque oscillator, which is a key element of Western Digital MAMR technology.
Although EPMR slightly changed Western Digital's roadmap, the company ultimately stated that it had not changed its development philosophy: the various magnetic recording technologies they were working on would be used as soon as they needed to reach a certain capacity. At the time, the company said that they were considering the choice of 24 TB and 30 TB drives and what needs to be done to make these capacities practical.
Here's what Siva Sivaram, president of Western Digital's technology and strategy, said at the Wells Fargo technology, media and telecommunications summit earlier this month:
"The 18 TB product to be launched in December will use a variant of MAMR technology. We are not sure about long-term success. When 24 TB and 30 TB are reached, we will introduce the right technology in due course. We are in The hard drive roadmap sees the path to 50 TB. When we reach 50 TB, we will introduce the right technology when it is feasible. "