IBM develops a gigantic data drive for supercomputers

IBM researchers have designed the biggest ever data storage repository for supercomputers. The drive that can store 120 petabyte (120m gigabytes) has been made up of 200,000 traditional hard disks. The massive disk is capable to store 24 billion MP3 files, the IBM researchers say. It is indeed a proven fact that high storage disk is also an important element of supercomputers rather than advanced and high-speed processors. And so, the gigantic hard drive from IBM’s Almaden, California lab will have huge significance in the future of computing. The drive can be used in supercomputers for enormous tasks and applications.

IBM biggest data storage

According to reports, the IBM hard drive is 10 times greater than any available storage platform. Apart from its capacity to store around one trillion files, the disk is powerful enough to endure simulation of complicated systems. That means supercomputers with the IBM disk are simply proficient for massive tasks in complex simulations.

According to Bruce Hillsberg, director of the IBM research team, the disk will enable computers for several big tasks in future. Mr. Hillsberg adds that within a few days, all cloud servers will be having the disks with substantial storage capacities.

Steve Conway of the analyst firm IDC and several others are quite enthusiastic about the drive from IBM researchers. Such disks will be a huge advantage in the emerging high-performance computing (HPC) technology, analysts suggest. Of course, as the technology advances forth, need for massive storage of data is on a steady increase.

In industries like cloud computing, weather forecasting, petroleum, defense, seismic processing, scientific researches, film and music, demand for more storage is up. Since people largely depend on the Web for information these days, there is a drastic requirement for extra storage options in data centers.

Along with the disk, IBM researchers have developed the computer hardware and software suitable for high data storage. The drive has been designed in benefit of a file system called GPFS from the same IBM engineers. GPFS is a method to help supercomputers have faster access to data. The system distributes an individual file in multiple disks. The technology works well with the new IBM disk because it is made up of thousands of conventional hard disks.

The IBM researchers are working to confine the area needed for the massive disk to reside. The company is also working to develop advanced cooling systems for the disk. In fact, IBM has a tradition of working much to develop various supercomputers and high storage disks required for it.

Via: TechnologyReview