Enabling Data-Driven Economies from the Philippines

 

Data is created, copied, stored and consumed at an ever-increasing rate, prompting an explosion in data growth globally. According to a recent IDC Global DataSphere report, the amount of data created and replicated is expected to reach around 180ZB by 2025*¹. A super-information society is birthed from the convergence of physical space and internet driving interconnectivity of all web-enabled things, on-demand availability of computer system resources and the emergence of artificial intelligence to enable machines to learn and carry out tasks by replicating human intelligence.  

 

*1 IDC, Worldwide Global DataSphere Forecast, 2021–2025: The World Keeps Creating More Data — Now, What Do We Do with It All?, Doc # US46410421, March 2021

One of core digital infrastructures are data centers which are scattered throughout the world. These trends have fuelled to a higher demand for data management and storage utilization solutions to be reliable, secure, power-efficient and at the same time provide high-density storage capacities in an increasingly distributed workload environment.  

 

At the core of these data centers are nearline Hard Disk Drives (HDD), which are the most cost-effective performance storage medium available in the market. Data storage comes in primarily three broad categories: offline, nearline and online.  While nearline storage is not immediately available, it can easily be made online quickly without human intervention.

 

 

One of leading global technology companies in the storage industry is Toshiba. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of HDD products that addresses the storage needs of enterprise, data center, surveillance, and client markets. Toshiba enterprise HDDs are categorised in three main areas: “Enterprise Performance HDDs” for traditional mission critical servers and storage systems, “Enterprise Capacity HDDs” for entry servers and storage system for business critical workload, and “Cloud-Scale Capacity HDDs” for hyperscale data centers. In 1CQ21, Toshiba shipped at that time a new nearline HDD and exabyte record of 2.11 million units and 25.6 exabytes, respectively, delivering an average capacity of 12.1TB per unit, which outpaced the industry average*².

*2 IDC, Worldwide 1Q21 HDD Shipment Results and Four-Quarter Forecast Update, Doc # US47667520, May 2021

 

Toshiba’s Strategic Data Storage Manufacturing Facility in the Philippines

 

The company’s key manufacturing facility is based in the Philippines. Toshiba Information Equipment (Philippines), Inc. (TIP) began operations in 1996 and with about 12,000 employees, the company has been instrumental in providing data storage solutions for over 20 years.

A hard disk drive is produced under high precision manufacturing and ultra-clean environments. Since the hard disk demands high speeds of rotation and the head is in close proximity to its platter, nearline HDDs go through an extensive manufacturing process. One of key parts of a hard disk drive is the recording media. With multiple recording media stacked with precision to allow efficient reading and writing of data, a nearline hard disk drive including recording head, media, electronics and firmware is carefully assembled and tested rigorously under extreme environments such as pressure and temperature in test chambers to ensure quality in the final delivery.   

 

 

With the increasing demand for nearline HDDs, the company has invested to support large-scale production, ramping up output to meet the industry needs. This is with the consideration to minimize wastage of raw materials and maximize technological resources to bring about total cost efficiency and sustainable manufacturing.  

 

What sets Toshiba Apart

Toshiba’s engineers are vital to keep the manufacturing facility going and ensuring business continuity as far as possible.

John Mark Guilaran, Engineer, TIP’s Enterprise Production Engineering division shares, “To meet the increasing Nearline HDD demand, TIP expanded its production capacity by setting up multiple automated lines, while improving the productivity and efficiency of existing lines. We are constantly building a skilled labor force through knowledge transfer, trainings, resource sharing and close collaboration, especially with our Storage Products Division counterparts in Yokohama, Japan. Two automated lines capable of producing 200,000 units of Nearline HDDs per month were set up with minimal supervisory support from Japan.  Having a strong desire to learn and ‘never give up’ attitude are our key strengths. We see every challenge as an opportunity to create, innovate, learn and grow.”

 

Gerald Balingasa, Engineer, HDD Design Support Center adds, “TIP, like any other company, is affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. Prioritization and resourcefulness are important to address the limited access to transportation and rollout of new model evaluation activities. We once again proved to be very resilient despite the challenges. We prioritize the health of our employees, customers and community around us and mandated health protocols are quickly adopted and new regulations are put in place. Our determination to achieve our targets while ensuring everyone’s safety has given us continued success amid the pandemic. The pandemic has taught me to never underestimate the value of camaraderie, understanding life’s unforeseeable moments and making the most out of the situation.  Staying true to TIP’s policy of ‘Simple, Speed and Flexibility’.”

 

 

Next-generation Data Storage Technology

The most recent development is Toshiba’s first HDD models with energy-assisted magnetic recording. The MG09 Series features Toshiba’s third-generation, 9-disk Helium-sealed design and Toshiba’s innovative Flux Control – Microwave Assisted Magnetic Recording (FC-MAMR) technology, to advance Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) density to 2TB per disk, achieving a total capacity of 18TB.

TIP’s HDD Design Support Center collaborated with Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation’s Storage Products Division, to carry out the evaluation process and data analysis, making it ready for mass production.

 Hiroshi Okamura, President of TIP^*3 remarks, “Philippines is a strategic manufacturing location for Toshiba to deliver our data storage solutions to the global market that demands large capacity storage in high speeds. We offer an extensive range of products -from mobile HDDs in notebooks, car navigation and game consoles, high capacity storage solutions for servers systems to nearline series in data centers to support mission critical applications. Toshiba Information Equipment (Philippines), Inc. is leveraging our extensive capabilities as a digital storage provider and well-supported by a highly capable talent pool to deliver customer-focused solutions and innovation to our customers globally.”   

 

 

Toshiba Unveils Canvio® Connect II Portable Hard Drive

Toshiba Singapore Pte Ltd recently announced the launch of Canvio® Connect II Portable Hard Drive, a device that takes portable storage to the next level. Available with up to 3TB of storage capacityⁱ, remote access capabilities, cloud backup and the ability to share and stream content, the Toshiba Canvio® Connect II is an all-in-one portable storage solution.

Recognising the importance of data mobility on today’s age, the hard drive is coupled with Pogoplug® PC Software. Users can leave Canvio® Connect II at home, and still have access to stream files on hard drive via iOS/android app from smartphone - as long as the hard drive is connected to an internet-enabled PC. Using this connection, users can also upload files from smartphone to hard drive.

“Digital content creation has grown exponentially. The Canvio® Connect II was created with this understanding in mind,” said Ms Wong Wai Meng, senior manager of Toshiba Singapore. “With expanded storage capacity, sleek design and five vibrant color options, the Canvio® Connect II takes portable hard drive storage to a new level.”

Canvio® Connect II also comes bundled with free 10GB cloud storage. Users can simply download or upload files using a web browser or app on smartphone. Sharing of large files on cloud storage is also made easy as users can easily select the files visible to recipient, via a web link.

Not forgetting the hard drive’s core function on backing up of files, Canvio® Connect II has the ability to clone a PC’s OS, applications and settings, and users can choose to recover a file, folder or restore a laptop from PC crash with NTI® Backup Now EZ™. The preloaded

NTI® Backup Now EZ™ software also makes scheduling and securing backups with user-defined password possible.

Toshiba’s Canvio® Connect II is pre-formatted with NTFS for Windows PC and comes with a NTFS driver for Mac. This allows users to store and access files from their PC and Mac without reformatting. The hard drive includes three-year limited local warranty.

Toshiba unleash 6th gen Intel® CoreTM processors in its business ultra-mobility Z Series

Toshiba Singapore Pte Ltd, the Asian headquarters for Mobile Computing Solutions and Devices, recently announced performance updates to its flagship business range, the Z Series, including benefitting from 6^th gen Intel^® Core^TM processors. With the addition of 6th gen Intel® Core™ processors, all new Z Series models deliver enhanced performance and new immersive experiences at the lowest power levels to date. Consisting of the 12.5-inch Portégé Z20t-C, the 13.3-inch Portégé Z30-C, and the 14-inch Tecra Z40-C, the Z-series is a selection of premium business laptops available in a range of sizes to suit every style of worker regardless of their needs.

Already offering impressive battery lives for true mobile working, the updated Z Series now feature longer run times for even more mobility when away from the desk. The versatile Portégé Z20t-C which includes 6th gen Intel® Core™ M processors will also benefit from the new USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1 port for easier use as can be used in either orientation. This further enhances the flexibility and future proofs the Portégé Z20t-C for business customers whether used as a powerful Ultrabook™ or a fanless tablet PC.

Weighing a mere 1.2kg with no-compromise in connectivity for dongle-free convenience, the ultra-mobile Portégé Z30-C is ideal for business people who are always on the move and perfect for in-demand executives who are often travelling to meetings. The Tecra Z40-C is designed to provide the optimum balance between mobility and productivity. Featuring a larger screen, now available with a Full HD resolution, that enhances productivity without compromising on portability, the Tecra Z40-C’s new battery life will improve working capacity even further. All traditional clamshell models within the Z Series also offer common docking, a common software image and common AC adapters for easier manageability across an organization.

To ensure valuable business data is kept safe and secure, the Z-series are configured with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) v2.0 to provide the extra layers of security business users need for greater peace of mind. For added security, the Portégé Z30-C and Tecra Z40-C series can be configured with an optional Smart Card and Fingerprint Reader. In addition to a spill resistant keyboard designed and tested to help save data and shut down, these laptops feature Toshiba's innovative EasyGuard™ Technology, adding multi-tiered security and data protection measures that guard components against accidental bumps. For quality and reliability, these laptops have been rigorously tested to the stresses of heat, shock, vibration and Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) at Toshiba's facilities.

Reinforced by Toshiba's internally developed BIOS, the Z-series delivers unparalleled integration of hardware and software few PC manufacturers can claim. This foundational BIOS software not only monitors the PC's internal components to maintain stability, it offers system-level security and built-in countermeasures to prevent illegal access. 

Portégé Z20t-C Specifications

·         6th generation Intel® Core™ M processors

·         Windows 10 Pro 64-bit pre-installed or Windows 7 Pro 64-bit pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro on DVD

·         12.5” Full HD (1920 x 1080), 300 NIT, IPS display with 10-finger capacitive touch support and Wacom digitizer

·         Intel® HD Graphics 515

·         Storage: Up to 512GB M.2 SATA SSD

·         Memory: Up to 8GB LPDDR3 1600MHz onboard

·         Connectivity:

o     Tablet – 1 x micro-HDMI, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, 1 x microSD, combined audio jack

o     Laptop – full size RGB, HDMI®, 2x USB 3.0, cable lock port

·         Communication: Wi-Fi® 2x2 ac + ac/a/b/g/n, Bluetooth® 4.0, GBit LAN (on keyboard)

·         Full HD front facing webcam with 5 MP rear facing camera

·         Security: Toshiba EasyGuard™, Trusted Platform Module 2.0

·         Battery life³:

o     Laptop – up to 18.8 hours (w/ 2nd battery supported on dock)

o     Tablet only – up to 9.6  hours

·         Dimensions:

o     Laptop – 309 x 215 x 21 mm

o     Tablet only – 309 x 199 x 8.8 mm

·         Weight:

o     Laptop – from 1.51kg (with Keyboard dock)

o     Tablet only – from 730g

Portégé Z30-C Specifications

·         6^th generation Intel^® Core™ processors up to i7

·         Windows 10 Pro 64-bit pre-installed or Windows 7 Pro 64-bit pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro on DVD

·         13.3” HD or FHD non-reflective screen with optional touchscreen¹

·         Intel^® HD 520 graphics

·         Up to 2x 8GB DDR3L

·         Up to 512GB M.2 SATA SSD

·         Connectivity: 3 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x HDMI, 1x RGB, SD card slot, Gigabit LAN, Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n) wireless LAN, Bluetooth™ 4.0, Intel^® WiDi™

·         Audio: Stereo speakers with DTS^® Studio Sound™ audio enhancement

·         HD webcam with stereo microphone

·         Security: Toshiba EasyGuard, Trusted Platform Module 2.0, optional smartcard reader, optional fingerprint sensor

·         Spill-resistant² keyboard with dual point pointing system

·         Battery life: up to 15 hours³ for the Z30, up to 11 hours³ for the Z30t

·         Weight: from 1.2kg

·         Dimensions: 316 (W) x 227 (D) x 17.9 (H) mm  

Tecra Z40-C Specifications

·         6^th generation Intel^® Core™ processors up to i7

·         Windows 10 Pro 64-bit pre-installed or Windows 7 Pro 64-bit pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro on DVD

·         14.0” HD or FHD non-reflective screen with optional touchscreen¹

·         Intel^® HD 520 graphics

·         Up to 2x 8GB DDR3L

·         Choice of up to 500GB HDD (7.200rpm), up to 512GB M.2 SATA SSD

·         Connectivity: 3 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x HDM^I®, 1x RGB, SD card slot, Gigabit LAN, Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n) wireless LAN, Bluetooth™ 4.0, Inte^l® WiDi™

·         Audio: Stereo speakers with DTS^® Studio Sound™ audio enhancement

·         HD webcam with stereo microphone

·         Security: Toshiba EasyGuard™, Trusted Platform Module 2.0, optional smartcard reader, optional fingerprint sensor

·         Spill-resistant² keyboard with dual point pointing system

·         Battery life: up to 12 hours³

·         Weight: from 1.47kg

·         Dimensions: 338 (W) x 236 (D) x 20.4 (H) mm  

Actual product features and specifications depend on model and local availability. For more information, please visit http://www.toshiba-business.com

Comprehensive Service & Support Offerings

All Toshiba PCs and Tablets are backed by Toshiba’s extensive service and support. The new Portégé Z20t, Portégé Z30 and Tecra Z40 series come standard with 3-year International Limited Warranty (parts & labor).

Toshiba offers several options for expanding the service plan on your notebook. Our SelectServ Program has been designed to allow you to customize your notebook’s warranty coverage, depending on your budget and needs. Please contact or visit your nearest local Authorized Service Provider to get more information.

Connect with Toshiba on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ToshibaNotebookPc on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ToshibaNotebook and on YouTube at youtube.com/user/ToshibaNotebookPc.

 

The New Portégé Z20t Detachable Ultrabook with Reversible Dock

Toshiba Singapore Pte Ltd announced recently a new 12.5” 2-in-1 detachable ultraportable with reversible dock to meet the needs of mobile enterprise users. The PORTÉGÉ Z20t is optimized for business users with a variety of productivity and security features plus the powerful new Intel® Core™ M processors, which support both content creation and consumption with ease. With an extra-long battery life of up to 17.4 hours¹, lightweight magnesium chassis and sleek, thin design, the PORTÉGÉ Z20t is prepared for professional life – whether in or out of the office.

“The PORTÉGÉ Z20t represents a remarkable technological achievement and delivers everything a modern business professional may require in a full mobile computing experience,” said Ms Wong Wai Meng, Senior Manager of Product Strategy at Toshiba Singapore Pte Ltd, Mobile Computing Solutions & Devices Division. “Built for professional users, the PORTÉGÉ Z20t offers a slim-line and lightweight device whether it’s used in laptop or tablet mode in any scenario while still satisfying the security and IT management features that are crucial to any organisation in today’s complex business environment.”

Perfectly formed for ultra-flexibility

With an optimized form factor and wide range of features for flexible business use, the PORTÉGÉ Z20t is the ultimate companion for professionals. The integrated Wacom digitizer offers superb hand writing recognition so that users can take notes and draw diagrams quickly and clearly in meetings while it can be stored conveniently in a dedicated slot on the tablet to minimize the chances of losing it.

Designed as a laptop but equally impressive in tablet mode, the PORTÉGÉ Z20t features a reversible dock enabling the tablet to be stowed backwards allowing use as a presentation device to a larger group of people. When docked the tablet benefits from the longer battery life and extra connectivity options on the keyboard. For convenience and ease of use, the tablet can be detached using one hand via the simple attach mechanism.

The PORTÉGÉ Z20t also has a Full HD IPS touchscreen display enabling vibrant, clear detail with wide viewing angles in case multiple users want to view the content on screen. The display’s anti-glare feature is perfect for the business user by reducing reflections to allow for work under office lights or even outside. Functionality and productivity are further enhanced by the inclusion of a spill resistant backlit keyboard² for working in dimly lit environments with an improved key design for easy and comfortable typing. Additionally the integrated Accupoint provides an alternative to the large ClickPad for increased accuracy.

Toshiba to Mass Manufacturing new 10TB SSDs by Feb 2016

Following businesses colossal demands for a much secure data backup solution, Toshiba has just revealed their all new research and development in regard of coming up with some of the world’s most sophisticated and ultra-modern SSD chips that will bring unimaginable data storage and reliability capabilities.

The story doesn’t stops at breaking the news for Toshiba’s new product developments but in addition to that Intel has also initiated their very own project for state-of-the-art high capacity SSD chips with a planned mass manufacturing starting exactly by 2016’s first quarter.

What has astound the entire pool of SSD enthusiasts is the AES 256-Bit Full Disk Encryption, IEEE 1667 Drive encryption and many other intuitive features. Right after the official press release from manufacturers. These NAND SSD Chips have become the center of gravity for the entire data backup industry including renowned industry critics and resellers across the globe.
Coming back to the global internet security concerns, still businesses have a number of security and confidentiality risks, more specifically when it comes to cloud data storage and many other data backup solutions. Yes performance and security are one of the most demanded features but following continues privacy breaches businesses have faced prominent losses and have entirely focused on systems and solutions that ensure absolute security to them.

While digging deep into these emerging new product developments, resources have also identified that Toshiba has a clear plan to start their very own SSD chips’ mass manufacturing by February 2016. Toshiba already gained significant fame and market shares with its 16 GB 48-Layer NAND chips considered to be the world’s first ever mass manufactured line of NAND Chips. In addition to that Samsung also came up with their SSD 850 Pro Chips which was not at all a bad start for one of the market’s renowned brands.
The arrival of these state-of-the-art SSDs is indeed appreciable but in addition to that businesses can’t resist looking onto many other data backup solutions such as the magnetic media backup tapes. Looking deeper into the media backup tapes, the great consortium led by IBM, HP and Seagate brought the Ultrium LTO series of magnetic media tapes which have also become one of the most trending data backup solutions for small and large scale businesses all across the globe.

Considering HP’s C7972A Ultrium LTO-6 Data Tape, the product is well recognized for its unique form factor, data backup capacity of up to 6.25TB, smart interlock mechanical system, cartridge labeling system, easy to use tape drives, backward compatibility options, WORM technology, data transfer speeds of up to 400 MB/Sec and archival lives that lasts for decades.  

A part from an entirely distinctive form factor and many other features, Magnetic Media Tapes have successfully positioned themselves on top of the list for most of the world’s medium and large scale businesses based on their discrete data storage needs whereas these upcoming SSDs are sure to deliver an extra value to the customers once they arrive in the consumer markets.