Fujitsu Launches World's First 256-bit AES Encryption 500GB HDD
Author: Hrvoje Jakovac
Date: 13 Nov 2008

Fujitsu Asia today announced the MJA2 CH series of Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives (HDDs) for the ASEAN and India markets.The series is the world’s first 500-gigabyte (GB) HDD line to incorporate hardware-based support for the 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), for enhanced security and improved performance compared to software-based encryption.

With on-board AES support, the HDDs automatically encrypt and decrypt data during read and write operations respectively. Unlike software-enabled regimes, the series’ hardware-based approach does not require encryption keys to be loaded onto the computer’s memory, for improved system performance and enhanced data security.

Data stored on the MJA2 CH series can be securely erased in less than one second, offering significant time savings when formatting HDDs for reuse or disposal.

Developed in line with Fujitsu’s Green Policy Innovation program to promote energy-efficient IT products and services, the MJA2 CH series sets new industry benchmarks for energy efficiency and environmental conservation. The HDDs require only 1.4 watts of power to perform write operations, compared to 2.1 watts or more for earlier Fujitsu HDDs. The series is also Fujitsu’s first halogen-free HDD line, making it an environmentally-friendly product range throughout its entire lifecycle.

“With the growing problem of data theft and misappropriation, the need for enhanced data security is now higher than ever. As climate change and environmental conservation emerge at the forefront of the global agenda, eco-friendly IT products will receive greater attention from end-users. The MJA2 CH series of hard disk drives addresses both concerns by combining superior data security features with environmentally-friendly characteristics,” said Mr Loh Chong Shing, Regional Senior Vice President of Fujitsu Asia.

The MJA2 CH series is designed with a 2.5-inch form factor and a spindle speed of 5,400 revolutions per minute (rpm). The HDDs offer a maximum data throughput rate of 3 gigabits per second (Gbps), as well as average read and write times of 12 milliseconds (ms) and 14ms respectively. Other product features include:

    *       large buffer sizes
    *      high shock tolerance
    *      near-silent operation

The AES support, high storage capacity, low power consumption and compact form factor make the series ideal for applications such as:

    *      high-end desktops
    *      notebook PCs
    *      video-editing or other multimedia applications

The MJA2 CH series of SATA HDDs will be available for the ASEAN (including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam) and India markets from Q1 2009. Visit http://sg.fujitsu.com or call 6512-7555 for more details.

Separately, the MJA2 BH series of SATA HDDs from Fujitsu Asia – similar to the MJA2 CH series but without the AES support – will be available for ASEAN and India beginning next month.