WD Ultrastar DC HC Series

2024: Market Entry

On October 15, 2024, Western Digital announced the release of the world's first 32 TB hard drive using energy-saving perpendicular magnetic recording (ePMR) technology. The drive, called Ultrastar DC HC690 SMR, is made in a 3.5-inch HelioSeal form factor.

The device involves 11 magnetic plates. The buffer is 512 MB. Depending on the modification, a SATA-3 or SAS-3 connection interface with bandwidth up to 6 and 12 Gbps is used, respectively. The spindle speed is 7200 revolutions per minute. The data transfer rate when reading reaches 269 MB/s, when writing - 257 MB/s.

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howtogeek.com

Ultrastar DC HC690 SMR features next-generation UltraSMR tiled magnetic recording technology. The proprietary OptiNAND system uses built-in flash memory to perform maintenance operations, which improves performance and reliability. At the same time, the ArmorCache function protects enterprise systems from power failures. Rotational Vibration Safeguard (RVS) technology is responsible for improving performance in high vibration environments.

The drive is designed for use in data centers, as well as in hyperscaler sites. The average uptime (MTBF) reaches 2.5 million hours. The hard drive is designed for 24/7 operation around the clock at temperatures from + 5 to + 60 degrees Celsius. The manufacturer provides a five-year warranty for the device. The emergence of the novelty, as noted by Western Digital, will help meet the needs of customers in data storage in the era of artificial^[1]

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