To provide greater storage efficiencies and value for customers managing data at scale, Samsung Electronics and Western Digital, two of the world’s largest storage providers, have recently partnered to help usher in the standardization of next-generation data placement, processing and fabrics storage technologies (D2PF), including Zoned Storage.

The two companies believe the adoption of next-generation storage standards is the most effective way to ensure that hardware and software can be effectively combined within the system stack to maximize performance and functionality while reducing costs. In bringing this vision to fruition, Samsung and Western Digital are encouraging a wide-ranging industry collaboration among storage stakeholders. Through collaboration, the companies can help assure customers that storage ecosystem vendors support the new technology standards and system architectures for efficiently handling today’s data workloads as well as tomorrow’s.

The Reality of Today’s Data Infrastructures

We are well into the zettabyte (ZB) era, a period characterized by quantities of data so vast that understanding it has become trickier than ever. The mind-numbing amounts of data being produced today emphasizes the urgency of rethinking how data centers and cloud infrastructures are designed and operated.   

Amid this backdrop of hypergrowth looms the potential for fragmentation around standards and systems that could delay the ecosystem’s efforts to meet growing storage demands.

“We have entered into a golden era for data consumption, analytics and storage. One of the surest ways to undo all that good would be if the industry were to implement conflicting systems and standards,” said Cheolmin Park, Vice President of Memory Global Sales & Marketing at Samsung Electronics. “From AC versus DC in the old electric wars to Betamax versus VHS, history teaches us that industries which lack clear standards and formats see periods of missed opportunities and wasteful spending. The adoption of effective standards will minimize complexity, drive out inefficiency and reduce the cost of products and services, which benefits vendors and end-users alike. If data storage is to meet the future needs of end-users, what the industry needs now is broad consensus on Zoned Storage.”

Focusing on the Future of Zoned Storage

As part of Samsung and Western Digital’s agreement, the companies are focusing their initial efforts on creating a healthy ecosystem and solid application support around Zoned Storage.

Currently, large-scale data infrastructure relies on tens of thousands of solid-state drives (SSDs) and hard-disk drives (HDDs). With such massive scale and the vast amounts of data that these systems manage, even the smallest data placement inefficiencies in system architecture or storage devices can result in burdensome costs.

Zoned Storage is an open-source, standards-based initiative that enables data center storage infrastructure to scale efficiently and effectively. For hyperscale cloud and enterprise vendors, some of which possess ZB-scale storage needs, Zoned Storage will help to improve asset utilization, lower latency and reduce costs.

Zoned Storage is comprised of two technologies: Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) in HDDs and Zoned Namespaces (ZNS) in SSDs. At the core of Zoned Storage are devices such as ZNS SSDs. These drives divide their address space into distinct zones, streamlining the drive architecture by equipping the host with the ability to place data in the appropriate zone.

Future-Forward Technology for a Data-First World

As an innovative storage solution, Zoned Storage has unconventional data-writing rules. Zones can be written sequentially starting from the beginning of a zone, and the data within a zone cannot be arbitrarily overwritten. Therefore, it is highly important that the industry aligns around the host software stack that enables storage systems to optimally leverage the power of Zoned Storage. This host-device model alignment is a crucial theme of the overall initiative. Samsung, Western Digital and other ecosystem partners are committed to contributing required software components that will enable Zoned Storage to thrive via the open-source community.

Implementing Zoned Storage on the host allows system software and hardware to work in unison with much greater efficiency. ZNS reduces the need for over-provisioning and can eliminate difficulties connected with Quality of Service (QoS) variability and write amplification. As a result, the solution can increase capacity thanks to a higher device density and provide sustained performance even when a device is close to full capacity. Furthermore, ZNS boasts greater endurance than traditional storage methods as the data does not need to be constantly rewritten.

Whether a device is SAS-SATA (HDD or SSD) or NVMe SSD, Zoned Storage can be highly effective, and will enable more efficient system-wide performance management for everyone’s benefit.

“The implementation and continued development of Zoned Storage will empower the storage industry to strike a balance between cost, latency and performance through the use of intelligent architectures,” said Wim De Wispelaere, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives at Western Digital. “As an industry, we are at a point where we must align around the technologies and systems that will drive data storage in the near future and for decades to come — in the most intelligent and efficient way possible.”

For the Benefit of All

This collaboration between Samsung and Western Digital reflects both companies’ belief that critical new standards are needed for the storage sector to keep pace with data demand. 

The two companies have already launched an initiative involving Zoned Storage devices including ZNS SSDs. As part of an effort to enable open and scalable data center architectures, they founded the Zoned Storage Technical Work Group, which SNIA approved in December 2021, and are working with the Linux Foundation to set up a similar project workgroup. Within these industry organizations, Samsung and Western Digital will help to define high-level models and frameworks for any innovative Zoned Storage technology.

ZNS is the first of numerous D2PF collaborations designed to pave the way for innovative new data centers and cloud services. Samsung and Western Digital are committed to enabling a high degree of cooperation among key stakeholders in generating storage solutions that nicely suit a data-first world, along with everyone in it.

Summary

• Jason James is a Senior Engineering Technician who works in Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s Metrology group.
• Jason is a collector in the truest sense of the word, and a proud curator of multiple collections.
• He has been collecting since he was six years old, and has amassed a top-ranked collection of cards and memorabilia related to Hall of Fame baseball player Johnny Bench.
• He credits his hobby with teaching him valuable skills that apply to both his work and life in general.

As far as collectible items go, you could say that considering the tremendous amount of history and tradition that surrounds them, baseball cards are in a league of their own.

Jason James, a Senior Engineering Technician in Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s Metrology group, has been collecting playing cards and memorabilia related to America’s ‘national pastime’ sport since he was a child. He’s now the proud owner of the world’s top-ranked master set of Johnny Bench baseball cards, and he credits his hobby with teaching him valuable lessons and skills that apply to both his work and life in general.

Samsung Austin Semiconductor Senior Engineering Technician Jason James is the proud owner of the world’s top-ranked ‘master set’ of Johnny Bench baseball cards

It Began with a Gift

Jason’s day job involves monitoring optical thickness measurement and concentration measurement tools for Samsung’s 300mm foundry line in Austin, Texas. He takes great pride in his work, and brings a wealth of experience to the table.

“I joined Samsung Austin Semiconductor in 2007, but I’ve worked in the semiconductor industry off and on since 1995,” says Jason. “I love it in my current department and role.”

The Illinois native brings that same level of passion to his three main pastimes: collecting Hot Wheels, coins and paper currency, and of course, all things Johnny Bench. The world of baseball card collecting is unique because, as Jason points out, “everyone collects something different, and for different reasons.” In the case of Jason’s top-ranked collection, it all began with a gift from his father.

“I started collecting Johnny Bench items around 1986, when Johnny came to visit Fort Gordon, Georgia,” Jason explains. “My father was a Company Commander in the U.S. Army at the time, and although we were out of town, his First Sergeant got him a baseball that Johnny had signed while [visiting] the barracks. My dad gave me the baseball, I started collecting his cards, and I never stopped.”

Jason’s top-rated Johnny Bench collection began with a signed baseball—a gift from his father

An Appreciation for Oddballs

After receiving that first baseball, Jason began to scour his local card shops and purchase any card (“that a 12-year-old could afford”) that had Johnny Bench on it. Although it became harder to find collectibles when his family moved to Germany, he continued to grow his collection, piece by piece. Today, card shops have become harder to come by, so over 95 percent of the items that Jason purchases come from online auctions.

Jason’s collection may be centered around Johnny Bench, but it also features collectibles that honor other players who were important to him growing up, as well as what are affectionately known as “oddball” items.

“I’ve always had a fondness for a Pittsburgh Pirates player named Willie Stargell,” says Jason. “And of course, being born in the state of Illinois, I’ve always liked a player known as ‘Mr. Cub’ – Ernie Banks.”

As he explains, oddball items are usually rarer than common baseball cards, and typical examples include things like vintage candy containers, pins and advertising materials. “At one point,” he notes, “the paper sleeves on hot dogs had player cards integrated into them. Some of these items sell for hundreds of dollars each when they are [appraised], even when they’re in mediocre condition. It’s crazy for something printed on a pack of hot dogs from 1968 to sell for that much in 2018.”

Jason’s collection is packed with rare items, like these vintage ballpark bubble gum and candy containers, that would sell for hundreds of dollars today

More Than a Hobby

Jason’s passion for collecting has seen him amass an impressive—and wide-ranging—haul of interesting items, many of which carry deep personal value.

Some of the biggest examples (in the most literal sense of the word) would be his three full-sized arcade machines. The prize piece of this collection, Jason explains, is the upright Super Pac-Man machine: “It’s an original cabinet that my mother and I cosmetically restored much of the exterior of, and the inside is all new electronics, with a mainboard that has 60 different classic 80s video games on it.”

Jason’s passion for collecting has seen him amass an impressive haul of interesting items. Here we see one of the biggest examples: an original Super Pac-Man arcade machine that Jason restored with the help of his mother

He also points out that the nuts and bolts of collecting have helped him excel in his work at Samsung Austin Semiconductor.

“I’d say that the organizing and record keeping of my graded items has always carried over into my work, [including] how I keep up with my various reference ‘test’ wafers and their inventory.”

Overall, Jason’s experience tracking down rare cards and other memorabilia for over 30 years has reinforced valuable lessons that extend far beyond the world of collecting.

“In card collecting… it’s never giving up that’s the key,” he explains. “Finding a very rare item can take years, and may never even happen, but you have to keep looking.”

Samsung Electronics America (SEA) and Samsung Austin Semiconductor (SAS) are working with AT&T, to create America’s first manufacturing-focused 5G “Innovation Zone” in Austin, Texas. With 5G promising to eventually usher in a new era for manufacturing, this new Zone will help provide crucial insight into how smart manufacturing can evolve and strengthen the industry at large.

Next-Generation 5G for SAS

5G is set to be the next generation of mobile communications. Its delivery objectives, grounded in an ecosystem that covers chipsets, devices, and other equipment, include reduced latency, high data rates, higher system capacity and massive device connectivity.

The goal of the new 5G-powered testbed is to provide tangible results for a better understanding of how 5G can impact manufacturing, as well as to provide insight into the future of a smart factory. The 5G-enabled “Innovation Zone” sits within Samsung Austin Semiconductor, one of the world’s most advanced semiconductor fabrication facilities. It will harness Samsung’s 5G equipment as well as AT&T’s 5G wireless technology.

AT&T Business Chief Marketing Officer, Mo Katibeh, notes that this project is an industry first. “We’re testing the real-world impact 5G will have on the manufacturing industry. Ultimately, we will use what we learn from this 5G ‘Innovation Zone’ to help create better technology experiences and improvements in SAS’s plant, along with creating a future blueprint for people and businesses across all industries.”

The Future of Smart Factories

5G-enabled technologies promise to eventually have a significant impact on the development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly for connected manufacturing. 5G support has the potential to unlock new experiences in AR, powerful machine learning and AI applications, and to provide the next step in intelligent robotics and predictive maintenance.

Some of the new technologies and use cases that SEA and AT&T may explore in the SAS Innovation Zone include 4K video as a sensor to improve plant security and detection response, industry IoT sensors to monitor for environmental and equipment conditions, AR and VR for employee training, and enhanced location services for plant safety.

“As we evolve into a smart factory, Samsung Austin Semiconductor is continuously focused on leveraging data and automation to increase system performance,” says Dr. Sang-Pil Sim, President of SAS. “This collaboration with Samsung Electronics America and AT&T will help us test how a 5G network can improve mobility, performance and efficiencies within our plant.”

One Step Closer

This announcement marks a step forward on the way to the widespread commercialization and use of 5G technologies. In September, Samsung announced its first 5G city, which tests diverse 5G use cases and learn technical requirements from its real-world application.

The launch of the Austin “Innovation Zone” is another breakthrough for enhanced connectivity across the board. “We’re hard at work deploying our commercial mobile 5G network for people and businesses in parts of a dozen cities by the end of this year,” says Igal Elbaz, Senior Vice President of Wireless Technology at AT&T. “Seeing a number of technologies enhanced and improved by 5G at a large manufacturing plant will give us an exciting glimpse into a 5G world, which is closer than ever.”

“This test bed demonstrates Samsung’s expertise in innovation spanning chipsets to devices to network technology,” notes Wilf Norrlinger, Vice President of the SEA Networks Division. “We’re excited to expand upon our recent commercial networks agreements with AT&T to bring 5G technologies to the forefront of industry, and advance specific use cases to accelerate new market opportunities.”

Since 2000, Samsung has been developing 5G technologies to advance network capabilities in order to meet the ever-growing data demand in an increasingly connected world. Using in-house technology and assets, Samsung has managed to develop the first commercial ASIC-based 5G modems and mmWave RFICS, enabling the design of compact access units and CPEs. In the first half of 2018, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted authorization of Samsung’s 5G access units and CPEs for the first time. Samsung continues to drive the next wave of technologies taking an open approach towards providing a seamless pathway to a 5G world by unlocking the potential of mobile services and future connections.

“Samsung is a bellwether for Austin. As a company that the community and state partnered with to relocate here several years ago, they have far exceeded expectations,” said Mike Rollins, President, Austin Chamber of Commerce. “Samsung remains a shining example of what happens when we create a business friendly environment.  The result is a win that enhances and sustains our community’s ability to create a broad range of new jobs and economic opportunities for Austinites and their families.”

According to an Impact Data Source Economic Impact Study, SAS added $3.6 billion into the regional economy of central Texas in 2015. During that same time, SAS supported 10,755 jobs in the area and $498 million in annual salaries. Since its establishment in 1997, Samsung has invested more than $16 billion for the expansion and maintenance of its Austin facility.

“I was glad to discuss this with Samsung when our trade delegation visited Korea, and I’m thrilled that this plan is coming to fruition,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. “Samsung is so often a source of good news in Austin whether it’s about jobs, education, workforce development, housing or helping the homeless. Samsung is a great partner for Austin’s present, and this announcement tells us that they’ll be an even bigger part of our future.”

“We are committed to Austin and our contributions to the community,” said Catherine Morse, General Counsel and Senior Director of Public Affairs at SAS. “This is our home and we want to ensure our community is healthy and prospering. These investments will support this, while also ensuring our customers’ growing needs are met.”