WD launches what it claims is the most power-efficient high-capacity 3.5-inch HDD for datacentre use-- the WD RE+, a 6TB drive using all of 6W, thus reduce power consumptions while offering high capacities.

The WD RE+ features a 5-platter platform and is rated at 1.2m hours MTTF. It carries enhanced RAFF technology to better handle vibrations (by correcting linear and rotational vibration in real-time), multi-axis shock sensor technology and has a 500TB-per-year workload rating.

Meanwhile a dual processor offers better performance and dynamic fly height technology to adjust the height of each read-write head fly for reliability purposes. SATA connectivity offers up to 6GB/s transfer rates and sustained sequential data rates of up to 225MB/s.

ATTO launches what it claims is the fastest storage controller in the industry-- the FireBridge 7500, with enterprise-level fibre channel to SAS SSD/HDD latency speeds reaching less than 4 microseconds.

Based on the FireBridge 6500, the 7500 allows customers to build high performance flash, hybrid or high capacity storage with standard SAS SSD flash or HDDs and direct-attached JBOD storage enclosures. It uses dedicated memory modules and data paths to ensure commands don't compete for shared system resources while boosting data transfer rates.

Complementing it are other ATTO products, namely the 16GB/s and 8GB/s Celerity fibre channel host bus adapters.

Imation's Nexsan storage software business presents the Secure Data Movement Architecture (SDMA), a means for organisations to manage and protect high-value data from tampering, destruction or leakage.

SDMA protects data through policy-based control and security across the entire lifecycle, including archiving, remote workers, file sharing and collaboration, storage management and cloud and mobile device endpoints. To do so it combines the capabilities of a number of Nexsan products, namely Assureon Secure Archive (data protection), IronKey Secure Storage (enterprise workspace and file access) and IronKey Workspace with Windows To Go (portable Windows 8.1 on-a-stick).

Dell launches a second wave of XC series web-scale converged appliances-- the XC630 and XC730xd, both built on Dell PowerEdge 31th server technology as combined with Nutanix storage software.

The XC630 is the first 1U offering in the XC series portfolio, with support for more virtual desktop users and up to 16TB of storage per rack unit within a smaller form factor.

Meanwhile the XC730xd is an update of the XC720xd. The 2U appliance supports 16TB per rack (for a total of 32TB storage), making it ideal for customers delaying private clouds or big data workloads.