Samsung and Western Digital have announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a unique collaboration to standardise and drive broad adoption of next-generation data placement, processing and fabrics (D2PF) storage technologies. The companies will initially focus on aligning their efforts and creating a vigorous ecosystem for Zoned Storage solutions. These steps will enable the industry to focus on countless applications that ultimately create greater value for customers.
This marks the first time that both Samsung and Western Digital have come together as technology leaders to create widespread alignment and stimulate awareness of important storage technologies. Focusing on enterprise and cloud applications, the partnership is expected to spur a range of collaborations around technology standardisation and software development for D2PF technologies like Zoned Storage. With this collaboration, end-users can have confidence that these emerging storage technologies will have support from multiple device vendors as well as from vertically integrated hardware and software companies.
“Storage is the essential foundation for how people and businesses consume and use data. To enable today’s needs and tomorrow’s next big ideas, we must innovate, collaborate and keep pace as an industry in bringing new standards and architectures to life,” said Rob Soderbery, EVP and GM, Flash Business Unit at Western Digital. “For a technology ecosystem to be successful, overall frameworks and general solution models must come together so they do not suffer from fragmentation, which delays adoption and adds unnecessary complexity for software stack developers.
“For years Western Digital has been laying the foundation for the Zoned Storage ecosystem by contributing to the Linux kernel and open-source software community. We are excited to bring these contributions to this joint initiative with Samsung in facilitating wider adoption of Zoned Storage for users and application developers.”
“This collaboration is a testament to our relentless effort to exceed customers’ needs now and in the future and holds special meaning in how we anticipate it will actively grow into a larger basis of engagement for Zoned Storage standardisation,” said Jinman Han, Corporate EVP, Head of Memory Sales & Marketing at Samsung Electronics. “Our collaborative efforts will embrace hardware and software ecosystems to ensure that as many customers as possible can reap the benefits of this highly important technology.”
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