# Western Digital

> American computer storage corporation

**Wikidata**: [Q738770](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q738770)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Digital)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/western-digital

## Summary
Western Digital is an American computer storage corporation founded in 1970, specializing in hard drives, SSDs, and storage solutions. It is known for brands like WD Black, WD Blue, and My Cloud, and has subsidiaries including SanDisk and HGST. The company is a major player in the storage industry, with a strong presence in both consumer and enterprise markets.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1970 (exact date: April 23, 1970)
- Headquarters in San Jose, California, United States
- Owns subsidiaries SanDisk and HGST
- Produces storage devices under brands like WD Black, WD Blue, and My Cloud
- Listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange (ticker: WDC)
- Part of the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 indices
- Has over 76,000 employees (as of available data)
- Produces hard disk drive platters and other storage solutions
- Affiliated with computer scientist Martin Fink

## FAQs
### Q: What products does Western Digital manufacture?
A: Western Digital manufactures hard drives (including WD Black and WD Blue), SSDs, external storage devices (like My Passport and My Book), and servers (like My Cloud).

### Q: Is Western Digital publicly traded?
A: Yes, Western Digital is publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol WDC.

### Q: Who owns Western Digital?
A: Western Digital is a Delaware corporation, with its official name being Western Digital Corporation. It owns subsidiaries like SanDisk and HGST.

### Q: What is Western Digital’s main business?
A: Western Digital’s main business is designing, developing, and manufacturing computer storage devices, including hard drives, SSDs, and storage solutions for consumers and enterprises.

### Q: Where is Western Digital headquartered?
A: Western Digital’s headquarters is located in San Jose, California, United States.

## Why It Matters
Western Digital is a leading global provider of data storage solutions, playing a critical role in the technology industry. Its products, including hard drives and SSDs, are essential for computers, servers, and consumer electronics. The company’s innovations have significantly impacted data storage efficiency, capacity, and reliability. Western Digital’s subsidiaries, such as SanDisk and HGST, further expand its market reach, making it a key player in both consumer and enterprise storage markets. Its contributions to technology have enabled advancements in data management, cloud computing, and digital media storage, making it a vital component of modern computing infrastructure.

## Notable For
- Pioneering hard drive and SSD technology, including the WD Black and WD Blue brands.
- Acquiring SanDisk and HGST, expanding its product portfolio and market presence.
- Developing the My Cloud line of storage devices and servers for enterprise use.
- Producing the WD16 processor and other advanced storage solutions.
- Maintaining a strong presence in both consumer and enterprise storage markets.

## Body
### Overview
Western Digital Corporation is an American multinational computer storage corporation. Founded in 1970, it has become a major player in the storage industry, known for its hard drives, SSDs, and storage solutions. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California, and operates globally with subsidiaries in various countries.

### Products and Brands
Western Digital produces a wide range of storage devices under various brands, including:
- **WD Black**: A brand of high-performance hard drives.
- **WD Blue**: A brand of consumer-grade hard drives.
- **My Cloud**: A line of storage devices and servers for enterprise use.
- **My Passport**: A series of portable external hard drives.
- **My Book**: A series of external hard drives for consumers and professionals.

### Subsidiaries and Acquisitions
Western Digital owns several subsidiaries and has made strategic acquisitions, including:
- **SanDisk**: A leading manufacturer of flash memory and solid-state drives.
- **HGST**: A company specializing in hard disk drives and data storage solutions.

### Market Presence
Western Digital is listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange and is part of the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 indices. It has a strong global presence, with operations and subsidiaries in multiple countries.

### Innovations and Contributions
Western Digital has contributed significantly to the storage industry, including:
- Developing advanced hard drive and SSD technologies.
- Producing the WD16 processor and other innovative storage solutions.
- Providing storage solutions for both consumer and enterprise markets.

### Affiliations and Memberships
Western Digital is affiliated with organizations such as the iRODS Consortium and the Linux Foundation, demonstrating its commitment to open-source and data management technologies.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Western Digital Corporation",
  "description": "American computer storage corporation specializing in hard drives, SSDs, and storage solutions.",
  "url": "https://www.westerndigital.com",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105523379", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Digital"],
  "foundingDate": "1970-04-23",
  "founder": {"@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Fink"},
  "numberOfEmployees": {"@type": "QuantitativeValue", "value": "76449"},
  "industry": "Computer storage media",
  "location": {"@type": "Place", "name": "San Jose, California, United States"},
  "subOrganization": [
    {"@type": "Organization", "name": "SanDisk"},
    {"@type": "Organization", "name": "HGST"}
  ],
  "tickerSymbol": "WDC",
  "memberOf": [
    {"@type": "Organization", "name": "iRODS Consortium"},
    {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Linux Foundation"}
  ]
}

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lobbyfacts.eu/datacard/western-digital-technologies-inc?rid=185900492182-48)
2. [Source](https://www.westerndigital.com/company/office-locations)
3. GRID Release 2017-01-10
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. Polygon.io
6. [Source](https://irods.org/about/)
7. [Source](https://www.linuxfoundation.org/membership/members/)
8. ROR release v1.19
9. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
10. [Source](https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/hard-disk-drive-market)
11. Global LEI Index
12. GRID Release 2015-12-14
13. GRID Release 2016-12-06
14. BabelNet
15. [2020](https://www.gleif.org/content/4-lei-data/8-lei-mapping/1-download-bic-to-lei-relationship-files/bic_lei_gleif_v1_monthly_full_20200327.csv)
16. [Source](https://thenextweb.com/vocabulary/western-digital/)
17. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/Western_Digital-5XGJ8)
18. [Working at Western Digital | Glassdoor](https://www.glassdoor.sg/Overview/Working-at-Western-Digital-EI_IE1067.11,26.htm?countryRedirect=true)
19. YouTube API
20. [Western Digital Corporation Company Culture | Comparably](https://www.comparably.com/companies/western-digital-corporation)
21. Wikirate