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SMR, HAMR and other HDD technologies you can build on
This article is part of the Storage issue of May 2020, Vol. 18, No. 2
You hear so much about software-defined, cloud-native and flash-enabled storage these days that you may have forgotten all about the hard disk drive. Some observers even make the case that the hard disk drive (HDD) -- not long ago a storage staple -- is on the fast path to obsolescence. Hold that thought. I have three things to say: mainframes, tape and Fibre Channel switching. Those technologies remain alive and well in on-premises and cloud data centers long after shinier objects pushed them past their prime. The same goes for hard disk drives. A few years back, skeptics wondered if HDDs would die before tape, which lost its role as the primary medium for back up to disk more than a decade ago. Well, remember how backup software went from boring to the Sexiest Storage Technology a year or two ago? HDDs will make a similar comeback in 2020. Sure, they won't be as red-hot as backup, and will never regain their place as the top choice for primary storage, as that still belongs to flash and solid-state drives. But due to a few ...
Features in this issue
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How to mold HCI appliances to workload requirements
Ensure the hyper-converged infrastructure appliance you choose matches your workload requirements -- and not the other way around -- to maximize the benefits of hyper-convergence.
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Top infrastructure modernization strategy challenges
Increase the odds of IT modernization success by learning about the challenges and obstacles others have faced when attempting to modernize their infrastructure for their business.
News in this issue
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SMR, HAMR and other HDD technologies you can build on
Hard disk drives could make a comeback in 2020, as new technologies such as SMR, HAMR, MAMR and dual actuators provide more capacity and speed for secondary storage.
Columns in this issue
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Add tape backup in 2020 to boost a data protection strategy
Tape has never really gone away. But it can be useful beyond long-term archiving. Learn why IT professionals may want to consider reintroducing tape backup into their data centers.
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Hybrid cloud ecosystem enables digital transformation
The digital economy has led to a dramatic increase in not just cloud adoption but on-premises data and workloads. Hybrid clouds seamlessly move applications and data between them.