Ecma International, a leading standards development organisation for information and communication systems, has formalised a new partnership with the Open Compute Project (OCP) Foundation, aimed at advancing global standards for hard disk drive (HDD) storage technology. The two organisations announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on standardising the work produced by OCP’s storage projects, starting with the integration of key innovations from the OCP Storage Project into Ecma standards.
This collaboration will initially focus on the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Surrogate, a device that replicates HDD geometry and is equipped with sensors to monitor performance. Developed under OCP’s HDD Dynamics sub-project, the device is designed to provide valuable data about HDD vibration and acoustic disturbances, helping to ensure the proper functioning of HDDs. The aim is to incorporate this technology into a standard managed by Ecma’s Technical Committee 26 (TC26), which oversees standards for information storage and related technologies.
Samina Husain, Secretary General of Ecma International, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are excited to formalise our relationship with OCP. By integrating OCP’s innovative contributions, we aim to enhance our existing standards and advance storage performance across the industry.”
In the long term, the partnership between Ecma and OCP could extend to other areas such as information storage, environmental sustainability, and product safety, reflecting a shared commitment to improving the reliability and sustainability of data storage systems.
Jochen Friedrich, President of Ecma, highlighted the broader impact of the collaboration. “This agreement is an important step in fostering open technology development that benefits global markets. By working closely with the OCP Community, we can promote the adoption of critical storage technology innovations developed by hyperscale data centre operators and their collaborators,” he said.
OCP, a non-profit organisation that promotes hyperscale innovations in data storage and computing, often sees its solutions become de facto industry standards due to widespread adoption by its members. The partnership with Ecma will allow OCP’s breakthroughs to reach a broader market, formalising them within international standards.
Cliff Grossner, Chief Innovation Officer at OCP, said the collaboration is essential for the future of storage technology. “The OCP Community frequently comes together to solve problems faced by large-scale data centre operators, and these solutions are widely adopted within our Community. Through our collaboration with Ecma, these innovations can now be formalised into global standards, benefiting the broader market.”
The partnership is expected to streamline efforts between the two organisations, avoiding duplication of work and allowing for more efficient development of HDD and storage technology standards. By working together, Ecma and OCP aim to drive further advancements in data storage performance, helping the industry keep pace with growing demands for reliable and sustainable technology.
This MoU marks a significant step forward for both Ecma International and OCP, setting the stage for future collaboration and innovation in the data storage sector.
