Flash Memory Summit 2022 Recognizes Western Digital Talent and Products With Three Industry Awards

Western Digital announced today that it received two Best of Show Awards as well as the SuperWomen in Flash Leadership Award for Dr. Yan Li at the Flash Memory Summit (FMS) 2022. FMS showcases the latest technology trends spanning all facets of high-performance memory technologies, the industry's most innovative products, and the broadest coverage of the rapidly expanding storage market.

The annual FMS Best of Show Awards program recognizes high-speed memory and data storage technology excellence and innovation in the market. The SuperWomen in Flash Leadership Award recognizes women who have shown outstanding leadership in the growth, development, and use of flash memory and associated or related technologies and systems.

Among the Awards at FMS 2022, Western Digital was recognized for:

• OptiNAND™ Technology was honored in the Most Innovative Memory Technology category – a newly expanded category to include all high-speed memory technologies. Western Digital has reimagined the potential of flash with OptiNAND technology, which integrates an iNAND® EFD with traditional disk drives and incorporates innovative changes to the firmware algorithm and SoC. These flash-enhanced drives feature a pioneering storage architecture to deliver a solution that will enable new innovations and form the basis for future capacity, performance and resiliency gains for decades to come.

• Sustainable Enterprise SSD received the show's first ever Most Innovative Sustainability Technology award. From development and manufacturing to distribution, use and disposal, Western Digital is engaged in activities to minimize environmental impact of its products throughout their lifecycle. The Ultrastar® DC SN640 enterprise SSD embodies this commitment. To this day, the company strives to make its enterprise SSD products as environmentally conscious as they are outstanding in performance – from designing and manufacturing new products to ensuring products are easy to recycle at end-of-life.

• Dr. Yan Li, Vice President of Memory Technology at Western Digital, was named the winner of the 4th annual SuperWomen in Flash Leadership Award. Dr. Li's years of trailblazing work and leadership are illustrated by herself holding over 200 patents and helping develop the flash storage industry's first triple-layer cell (TLC) in 2008. Today, she leads Western Digital's efforts in the next generation BiCS NAND while continuing her work to empower and encourage the next generation of women leaders to advance memory technology.

"Each year, the Flash Memory Summit's Best of Show Awards highlights market-leading products, companies, and customer solutions, representing a coveted recognition of next-generation, high-speed memory and data storage technology excellence," said Jay Kramer, Chairman of the Awards Program and President of Network Storage Advisors Inc. "We are proud to recognize Western Digital for its relentless focus on modern HDD and flash innovation, leadership in sustainability and focus on highlighting the experiences and success of women – each setting new standards across our industry."

About Western Digital
Western Digital is on a mission to unlock the potential of data by harnessing the possibility to use it. With Flash and HDD franchises, underpinned by advancements in memory technologies, we create breakthrough innovations and powerful data storage solutions that enable the world to actualize its aspirations. Core to our values, we recognize the urgency to combat climate change and have committed to ambitious carbon reduction goals approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. Learn more about Western Digital and the Western Digital®, SanDisk® and WD® brands at www.westerndigital.com.

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