At MWC 2024, Huawei's Dr. Peter Zhou introduced a series of new data storage products, including the company's next-generation 10 Petabyte OceanStor Arctic magnetoelectric storage solution.
When we reported on it recently, the details were incredibly light. We knew it would be a magnetoelectric disk (MED) that probably rotates, and the first generation of the disk would be used primarily for file storage. Huawei also claimed that it could reduce TCO by 20% compared to tape and reduce power consumption by 90% compared to hard drives.
Now, Blocks and files has uncovered additional details about the MED drive, courtesy of a smartphone photo from a backup and archive slide presented by Huawei at another event.
Centrifuged discs
Taken by digital storage and applications analyst Tom Coughlin, the slide has an archiving solution section that reveals three visual elements for OceanStor Arctic: a rack, a 4 or 6RU chassis, and a disk.
Blocks and files notice that some of the text on the slide appears to compare “450 W/PB HDD vs. 71 W/PB Magnetoelectric Disk” and writer Chris Mellor says: “We've been reflecting on what the term magnetoelectric disk might mean. In the dictionary, the magnetoelectric effect refers to any link between “The magnetic and electrical properties of a material. “This could possibly describe the technology of a hard disk drive, which involves using electricity to change the polarity of a magnetic region on the surface of a disk platter.”
If that's the case, the big question so far unanswered is how can it spin and consume 90% less power than hard drives? The likely answer is that OceanStor Arctic will use spinning discs that turn off or off to save energy and reduce wear and tear when not in use.
Mellor asked. Huawei did OceanStor Arctic used uncompressed disks, but a spokesperson told it unkindly: “I understand that the product line may not be in a position to reveal more information about the product as it is not yet available in the overseas market . “
OceanStor Arctic is expected to be available outside of China in the second half of 2025.
