Revolutionizing data storage with HAMR technology

Leil Storage enhances its open-source file system with SaunaFS 5.0, now supporting HAMR SMR drives for groundbreaking storage capacity and efficiency.

  • Wednesday, 23rd July 2025 Posted 4 days ago in by Aaron Sandhu

Leil Storage proudly announced the release of SaunaFS 5.0, a significant update that supports the newly introduced Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) technology. This enhancement strengthens its open-source distributed file system suitable for exabyte-scale, on-premises workloads.

This iteration fully integrates with Seagate Technology, LLC's HAMR SMR drives, enabling seamless use with the largest hard drives available, setting new standards in sustainable, large-scale storage systems.

With the introduction of HAMR drives built on the Mozaic3+™ platform, SaunaFS 5.0 provides access to unprecedented single-drive capacities. By combining advanced laser-assisted writing (HAMR) with shingled magnetic recording (SMR), organisations can achieve exceptional areal density, optimal for hyperscale, nearline, and archival workloads.

Key features in SaunaFS 5.0

  • Native HAMR SMR compatibility: Quick and seamless deployment of Seagate's Mozaic3+™ HAMR SMR drives.
  • Flexible clustering and easy start: Operates mixed CMR, HAMR, and HAMR SMR drives, offering flexibility even at varying capacities.
  • Performance gains: Data-handling optimizations lead to significant performance boosts in both read and write operations.
  • Sustainability-focused design: Incorporates tools like Autonomous Drive Regeneration (ADR), and Leil's Infinite Cold Engine (ICE) to deliver real energy savings in large-scale environments.

"We’ve always believed that hyperscale-grade technology shouldn’t just be for the tech giants," stated David Gerstein, Leil Storage's CTO, "... we wanted enterprises of any size to benefit from these massive leaps in storage capacity...".