Data Backup Digest

As the need for big data management, storage and security continue to increase, manufacturers from all corners of the IT industry are stepping up their game in order to accommodate the increased demand. While there's been a number of large-scale, high-performance data storage solutions released as of late, Lenovo's recent endeavor, to fit 48TB of solid-state storage capacity on a single storage board, has finally come to fruition.

First unveiled in August 2016, Lenovo's innovation has sparked a lot of discussion around the industry. While they've been relatively tight-lipped on news as of late, developers remain optimistic about meeting the mid-2017 release date.

However, their road to the full launch of the 48TB SSD storage board has been anything but straightforward. After failing to meet a highly publicized demonstration, some professionals are skeptical of any kind of mainstream release.

Technically Speaking

The form factor of Lenovo's 48TB storage board will take up the same amount of space as two 2.5-inch drives. Although this is a rather large footprint, the device still offers more overall storage than comparable setups that use two separate SSDs. With the modern limitations of SSDs, you'd need more than two drives to equal the capacity of Lenovo's 48TB storage board.

Using this setup versus two separate drives has numerous advantages. Apart from the obvious benefit of increased storage capacity, users will also benefit from lower operating temperatures and greater overall system efficiency.

Moreover, Jonathan Hinkle, senior researcher with Lenovo, hinted that it might be possible to expand the storage capacity beyond 48TB using the same board. It ultimately comes down to the architecture and design of the flash chips used in the SSDs, which is something that will certainly improve within the coming months and years.

Hinkle cleared up any confusing surrounding the 48TB storage board by mentioning the fact that it is intended for enterprise-level servers that are used for database management and big data analytics as opposed to modern desktop computers or individual client workstations. Nonetheless, Lenovo's new device is generating a lot of attention.

A Spin-Off in the Making

Lenovo's new 48TB storage board is essentially a spinoff of an earlier prototype SSD. Nicknamed Project Spark, the drive showed enormous potential with an IOPS rating of more than 1 million for both reading and writing. However, a demonstration of Project Spark, which was supposed to occur in August 2016, was cancelled at the last minute.

A spokesperson for Lenovo stated: "Flash storage in general is an extremely competitive space,” the Lenovo spokesman said. “It’s a very spec-driven war right now. How much capacity can you cram onto them? How small can they go? How little power can they sip? The window where innovation gives you a lead is very, very small."

Be The First to Know

Specific pricing details for Lenovo's upcoming 48TB storage board haven't been announced. To stay informed on the latest information regarding the device, or for the latest news surrounding any of their products or solutions, please visit their official website at www.lenovo.com or call 1-855-253-6686 to speak with a live service representative.