Western Digital (WD) has a new portable high-capacity NVMe SSD that will turn heads as it goes by. Not exactly due to the massive amount of space it has, but the size it comes in. This isn’t just any normal SSD. This one is so complex, the SSD by itself, is its own server. It is a portable NAS server solution for actual servers. At least, if by portable, you expect to carry it around on wheels.
It is the Ultrastar Transporter and it comes with 368TB of SSD storage inside. Overall, it takes on the size of a rack-mountable server that has a built-in handle, allowing you to pick it up and carry it around. It also comes with a case that has built-in wheels as the company knows that no one is going to once to drag it around by hand.
Designed around data capture, retention, and mobility–the idea is that you can capture and transport a LOT of information from one location to another without having to wait forever to transfer all of that information over the internet. Not to mention, physical transport between locations guarantees a secure journey vs using the internet (assuming it gets there safely).
It offers dual-port 200GbE ethernet ports for getting data to and from the device and to your connected servers or terminal that will (obviously) have to support the same.
The company is targeting use scenarios like military, remote research, seismic exploration, and more.
Of course, with something like this, WD doesn’t list this with an exact price. You’ll have to visit WD’s website and request a quote to determine how much something like this will run you. But you can assume it will be in the many thousands. There isn’t an official release date that has been announced by the company either, but it’s likely at the cusp of release if not already shipping.
