The LHC’s collision detectors, which run 24/7, generate approximately 1TB of data per minute, necessitating robust and reliable data storage. Since 2008, CERN has used PROMISE Technology’s 24-bay JBOD VTrak J5800 HDD enclosures, with some of the earliest systems still operational today. CERN has also used Toshiba’s Enterprise Capacity HDDs, starting with capacities of 4TB over ten years ago to the MG09 Series Enterprise Capacity 18TB HDDs.

During this time, the two companies supported CERN in scaling up the storage capacity at its central data centre, which sends this data to more than 170 research institutes around the world for analysis. Today, this storage system has reached a capacity of more than one Exabyte, which is one thousand Petabytes or a million Terabytes, realized with more than 120,000 HDDs sitting in more than 4,000 JBOD enclosures.

Building on this success, PROMISE Technology developed a new 60-bay JBOD model, the VTrak J5960. The JBOD storage system incorporates ‘Greenboost’ technology, a suite of energy-saving innovations that can reduce power consumption by up to 30%. In the HDD application lab, Toshiba completed early testing PROMISE Technology’s 60-bay JBOD with its Enterprise Capacity MG10 Series 20TB HDDs, and confirmed data- and cooling performance and power efficiency, which aligns with the global push towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly data management practices.

About this collaboration achievement in data storage Eric Bonfillou, Deputy Group Leader of CERN’s IT Fabric group states, “In our quest to unravel the mysteries of the universe, we need partners who understand the importance of data storage, reliability, and efficiency with solutions that are tailored to our unique needs.”

“The energy crisis is now a real challenge to all enterprises, including CERN,” Alice Chang, Chief Marketing Officer, PROMISE Technology. “The VTrak J5960 offers a well-rounded solution to solve this dilemma, and we are confident that Toshiba’s Enterprise Capacity HDDs, installed and operated in this JBOD, will support CERN’s future need for growing data storage capacity in a reliable and energy-efficient way.”

“At Toshiba, we are very proud to support CERN’s activities with Enterprise Capacity HDDs,” says Rainer W. Kaese, Senior Manager Business Development, Storage Products Division at Toshiba. “We continue to develop higher capacities, up to 30TB and beyond, as HDDs are and will remain essential for storing the exabytes of data that CERN and the entire world produce in a cost-effective and energy-efficient manner.”

While the video celebrates the collaborative work with CERN, the focus remains on the technological advancements and the future of data storage at the research facility. Toshiba and PROMISE Technology are committed to providing solutions that ensure the LHC’s research continues without interruption, contributing to our understanding of the universe.