Innovating through Academic Collaborations
Western Digital participates in multiple collaborations with external organizations to provide Western Digital access to resources and knowledge that can be applied to improving current products, development of new technologies or products, and generate value from the data stored on our devices.
Academic Collaboration Programs
Western Digital participates in multiple collaborations with external organizations to provide Western Digital access to resources and knowledge that can be applied to improving current products, development of new technologies or products, and generate value from the data stored on our devices.
Western Digital has an ongoing program to sponsor research activities at institutions around the world. The research topics funded are selected from proposals generated internally at Western Digital, in which our team identifies topics that need a deeper level of investigation. The research topics are matched to a team or institution that has expertise that applies to the specific topic for investigation. A lead researcher is selected from the Western Digital team to work with the institution to develop a detailed plan and collaboratively define the work to be completed and milestones to measure progress. Multiple engineering or scientific disciplines are involved in the research programs.
The programs are structured to benefit both Western Digital and the involved institutions. Investigations into real world problems, opportunity to engage with a team from industry, and collaborative development are some of the benefits to those institutions conducting research. Some of the investigations span a multiple-year period while others have a limited scope and duration. There is an internal process within Western Digital to periodically review progress of specific programs, along with a yearly process to align the sponsored investigations with the business needs of Western Digital. Technology is advancing at an ever-increasing pace in the world of data storage and data analysis, which creates a challenge and opportunity for Western Digital to help drive the transformation of our industry and provide value to our customers.
Ultrastar Data60 Hybrid Storage Platform
A cost-effective 4U, 60 bay 12Gb/s JBOD software- defined storage (SDS) system that delivers high density and the flexibility to balance performance with cost and provides up to 840TB¹ of raw storage in a compact and efficient for all your needs in technology.
Ultrastar Data102 Hybrid Storage Platform
Hybrid storage platforms for next-generation disaggregated Software-Defined Storage (SDS) environments. Extremely dense form factor provides the flexibility to specify the HDD and SSD combinations to balance capacity, performance.
Ultrastar Serv60+8 Hybrid Storage Server
For organizations to build optimized data infrastructure for machine learning, they need to understand how their data is served, accessed and processed.The hybrid storage server addresses the demanding needs of large enterprise customers.
Western Digital also participates in Industry Consortia, where the research projects funded are directed to challenges and opportunities that are targeted at the industry in general rather than the specific needs for Western Digital. Participation in consortiums is a crucial activity for Western Digital as a leader in our industry. Results from the consortium work are available to all of the members and sponsors of the research programs, which helps all of the participating companies to chart a course for internal technology development.
The work of the consortiums is primarily focused on investigation of new technologies that might someday be incorporated into products created by the members. Each member company must do their own evaluation of the research project to see whether or not it fits into their long-term plans for technology, and develop a path to implementation of the technology. Care is taken in selection of the projects to make sure they can benefit all member companies of the consortiums.
Ultrastar Data60 Hybrid Storage Platform
A cost-effective 4U, 60 bay 12Gb/s JBOD software- defined storage (SDS) system that delivers high density and the flexibility to balance performance with cost and provides up to 840TB¹ of raw storage in a compact and efficient for all your needs in technology.
Ultrastar Data102 Hybrid Storage Platform
Hybrid storage platforms for next-generation disaggregated Software-Defined Storage (SDS) environments. Extremely dense form factor provides the flexibility to specify the HDD and SSD combinations to balance capacity, performance.
Ultrastar Serv60+8 Hybrid Storage Server
For organizations to build optimized data infrastructure for machine learning, they need to understand how their data is served, accessed and processed.The hybrid storage server addresses the demanding needs of large enterprise customers.
Western Digital has created an internship program where researchers from universities can join a team inside Western Digital to participate in a research project. Internships are designed to last a summer with the participants fully immersed in the project. Engineers and researchers within Western Digital must define a project that will fit the criteria of the internship program. The project scope and duration must be accomplishable within the summer program. The intern will work closely with a mentor while at Western Digital and is expected to conduct the defined project and complete a final report detailing the learning and outcomes resulting from the internships.
We believe that it is our responsibility to help developing engineers and scientists get a taste of what it is like to work in industry and help round out their education with some real experience
Ultrastar Data60 Hybrid Storage Platform
A cost-effective 4U, 60 bay 12Gb/s JBOD software- defined storage (SDS) system that delivers high density and the flexibility to balance performance with cost and provides up to 840TB¹ of raw storage in a compact and efficient for all your needs in technology.
Ultrastar Data102 Hybrid Storage Platform
Hybrid storage platforms for next-generation disaggregated Software-Defined Storage (SDS) environments. Extremely dense form factor provides the flexibility to specify the HDD and SSD combinations to balance capacity, performance.
Ultrastar Serv60+8 Hybrid Storage Server
For organizations to build optimized data infrastructure for machine learning, they need to understand how their data is served, accessed and processed.The hybrid storage server addresses the demanding needs of large enterprise customers.