AI Inference Surge Creates Nearline HDD Shortages, SSDs Poised to Benefit
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New research by TrendForce indicates that inference AI applications are generating massive data volumes, straining the global storage ecosystem. Nearline HDDs are now in short supply, with lead times ranging from weeks to over a year. This shortage is forcing cloud service providers (CSPs) to reassess their tiered storage architectures.
Nearline HDDs are a special type of hard drive designed for large-scale data storage, like in data centers and cloud storage. The term “nearline” means they are not as fast as a “hot” or “online” drive used for immediate, frequent access, but they are much faster than “offline” storage like magnetic tape. Nearline drives are optimized for a balance of high capacity, good reliability, and cost-effectiveness. They are a staple for applications like data backups, archival storage, and storing large files that don’t need to be accessed instantly but still need to be readily available.
AI-Driven Pressure on Data Storage
Traditionally, cold data (e.g., backups and archives) has been stored on HDDs due to their low cost. But with supply tightening, CSPs are considering SSDs as alternatives, TrendForce notes. While SSDs are already used for hot and warm data, the shortage is leading some CSPs to consider deploying them for cold data despite higher costs.
According to TrendForce, Quad-Level Cell (QLC) SSDs stand out as potential substitutes. They not only offer superior performance and about 30% lower power consumption than HDDs but also pack higher density. TrendForce forecasts that shipments of high-capacity QLC SSDs could see exponential growth in 2026.
Still, the transition is not straightforward. “If CSPs plan to use QLC SSDs for cold data storage, they will need to account for adjustments to data management algorithms, compatibility across software stacks, and precise calculations of total cost ownership,” TrendForce cautions.
AI Leads to Critical Shift
For eeNews Europe readers, this development highlights a critical shift in data infrastructure brought about by AI growth. It points to emerging opportunities for storage suppliers and underlines the challenges CSPs face in meeting demand.
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