Ed Strong

A Conversation With Ed Strong

Western Digital released a 3 terabyte AV hard drive May 16 aimed at storing video from surveillance systems. We sat down with WD’s marketing director, Ed Strong, to learn more about the new product.

Q. Tell us more about this new hard drive Western Digital released.

A. This is an AV-class hard drive, versus a desktop hard drive. Because it’s going into surveillance boxes where video is being recorded 24/7, it has a different reliability specification. Reliability and quality are much more important with these AV-class hard drives than how quickly the data is read and written -- which is the primary concern that users of desktop models have. With surveillance, what’s the point of recording activity if you’re not sure that that piece of evidence will even be there when you need it?

Going along with that, our drive has a time-limited error recovery. What this means is when the drive is recording, if it misses something, it just skips it and continues recording the new data. A desktop drive would spend up to 12 seconds trying to find it; meanwhile you’ve lost 12 seconds of surveillance video. It can also withstand higher temperatures. AV drives are situated in a smaller chassis and in media cabinets where the operating temperatures can get even hotter – 45 to 70 degres Celsius. That’s a 100 percent higher temperature resistance than what a desktop drive offers.

Q. Explain the "greenpower" feature.

A. We asked our engineers if we could have the hard drive disk spin more slowly. That way it emits less heat and consumes less power -- 40 percent less power than a standard 7,200 rpm desktop drive. This is important from the energy usage perspective. We test these things every way you can imagine -- heat them, cool them, shake them, drop them and then run them for 1,000 hours -- before we ever ship the first product.

Q. Why did you decide to expand the drive to 3 terabytes? What benefits does this provide over a 2 terabyte drive?

A. Three terabytes provides up to 80 more hours of digital video, which is really the driving force behind the capacity expansion of this hard drive. There are two trends within that. One is high-definition video, which we all are very well aware of in the U.S. and increasingly so in the developing world. There’s a strong foundation of analog digital cameras in the surveillance world, but more and more those are becoming network cameras. And within that world, the average megapixel resolution from cameras has quickly increased. As those cameras become more and more able to record and store digital video, the hard drives that are being used to store that data need to become larger.



Featured

  • Deploying in a Hybrid, Cloud Environment

    The way organizations manage access control is evolving. Traditional on-premises systems come with high IT and server requirements. At the same time, fully cloud-based solutions may not meet the needs of every facility. Read Now

  • The Cybersecurity Time Bomb

    If you work in physical security, you have probably seen it: a camera, access control system, or intrusion detection device installed years ago, humming along without a single update. It is a common scenario that security professionals have come to accept as "normal." But here is the reality: this mindset is actively putting organizations at risk. Read Now

  • Facing Facts for Facilities

    Despite the proliferation of constantly evolving security solutions, there remains a troubling trend among many facility operators who often neglect the most important security assets within their organization. Keys and shared devices like radios, laptops and tablets are crucial to successful operations, yet many operators are managing them haphazardly through outdated storage systems like pegboards and notebooks. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Security Training Reduces Global Phishing Click Rates by 86%

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, today launched its “Phishing by Industry Benchmarking Report 2025” which measures an organization’s Phish-prone Percentage (PPP) — the percentage of employees likely to fall for social engineering or phishing attacks, indicating the organization’s overall susceptibility to phishing threats. This year’s report found a global average baseline PPP of 33.1%, meaning a third of employees interact with phishing simulations before taking part in best-practice security awareness training (SAT).COVER 2025-PIB-NA-Report_EN-US Read Now

  • TSA Begins REAL ID Full Enforcement Today

    Today, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced the imminent implementation of its REAL ID enforcement measures at TSA checkpoints nationwide. Read Now

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.