08-26-2022, 12:54 AM
The HGST Ultrastar He12 is one of those high-capacity drives that pops up frequently when talking about storage solutions in archive SANs. This drive has a hefty 12TB capacity and uses helium for better efficiency, which means you can achieve higher densities and lower power consumption. Helium is less dense than air, allowing for better airflow within the drive, which is crucial if you're stacking multiple drives in a single enclosure. You will encounter less turbulence when the drives operate at high speeds, resulting in cooler operation.
What's interesting here is that the Ultrastar He12 offers a SATA interface, which has its advantages and downsides. On one hand, SATA is widely adopted and easily supports lower-cost storage environments. Its simplicity and compatibility with various systems mean you wouldn't have to buy specialized hardware just to utilize these drives. However, since you're using SATA, you might sacrifice some performance compared to SAS drives, especially in situations where random I/O operations are prevalent. If your workload includes heavy read/write operations or needs consistent high IOPS, the choice of interface can make a huge difference.
I find it essential to look at the throughput rates on these drives. The He12 typically provides a 6 Gb/s transfer rate. You might consider how this fits into the I/O requirements of your archive system. If all your data needs retrieval, then 6 Gb/s serves fine for sequential access, but you could hit snags with random access scenarios. If you are thinking about scenarios where quick access to files is critical, I'd recommend evaluating SAS solutions that typically deliver higher performance.
One significant aspect to ponder is the reliability rating of the He12, where HGST touts a 2.5 million hours Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF). Reliability is vital for storage-oriented tasks, and means you'll spend less time on replacements, which directly affects operational costs. However, you must consider that MTBF is a statistical measure, so in real-world usage, you must still be prepared for failures. It wouldn't be unreasonable to add redundancy in your SAN architecture, perhaps with RAID configurations, to mitigate risks.
Comparing the He12 to some competitors leads us down a path of pros and cons. For instance, if you look at Seagate's Exos X12 drive, you'd find that it might come with similar capacity options but focuses more on performance with optimized read/write speeds. This can be refreshing if you're also dealing with workloads that benefit from snappy data access. You might find that while the He12 suits lower-cost archive usages, Seagate offers a bit more bang if your work demands more speed and agility.
I focus heavily on how the drives integrate with existing systems. If you are using a Dell EMC Unity, for example, you can plug and play these drives relatively easily as long as your firmware is up to date. You wouldn't want your storage decisions to be a headache down the road. On the flip side, if you're working with an HPE 3PAR, compatibility with HDD models can introduce some challenges, particularly if your configurations are not aligned with HPE's specifications. Doing ample groundwork here pays dividends when scaling your SAN, especially as data workloads vary wildly.
Thinking about energy efficiency is another layer you shouldn't overlook. The Ultrastar He12 operates at a lower wattage than traditional drives, which can be appealing if you're considering long-term operational costs. Power isn't just about the immediate impacts; think a bit further down the line where the savings on cooling costs can add up. Competing products like the Western Digital Gold series might boast similar energy profiles but may differ in overall cost-effectiveness based on the operational life and warranty.
Consider that the capacity point is also essential. The He12 offers options that range through various TB capacities, making it an appealing candidate for bulk storage. However, if you need a range of storage capacities within the same infrastructure, a more modular solution with smaller Tes would be easier to manage. You want to create a mix that ensures you have flexibility and future-proofing, right? Exploring other brands like Toshiba can also provide you alternate 12TB options, but weigh the price against the performance gained.
Lastly, this information is provided with no strings attached by BackupChain Server Backup, a well-respected provider of backup solutions tailored for SMBs and professionals. They protect critical environments like Hyper-V and VMware, ensuring you have peace of mind that your data remains intact. If you ever consider diving deeper into backup strategies, BackupChain is worth checking out due to its strong reputation in the industry.
What's interesting here is that the Ultrastar He12 offers a SATA interface, which has its advantages and downsides. On one hand, SATA is widely adopted and easily supports lower-cost storage environments. Its simplicity and compatibility with various systems mean you wouldn't have to buy specialized hardware just to utilize these drives. However, since you're using SATA, you might sacrifice some performance compared to SAS drives, especially in situations where random I/O operations are prevalent. If your workload includes heavy read/write operations or needs consistent high IOPS, the choice of interface can make a huge difference.
I find it essential to look at the throughput rates on these drives. The He12 typically provides a 6 Gb/s transfer rate. You might consider how this fits into the I/O requirements of your archive system. If all your data needs retrieval, then 6 Gb/s serves fine for sequential access, but you could hit snags with random access scenarios. If you are thinking about scenarios where quick access to files is critical, I'd recommend evaluating SAS solutions that typically deliver higher performance.
One significant aspect to ponder is the reliability rating of the He12, where HGST touts a 2.5 million hours Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF). Reliability is vital for storage-oriented tasks, and means you'll spend less time on replacements, which directly affects operational costs. However, you must consider that MTBF is a statistical measure, so in real-world usage, you must still be prepared for failures. It wouldn't be unreasonable to add redundancy in your SAN architecture, perhaps with RAID configurations, to mitigate risks.
Comparing the He12 to some competitors leads us down a path of pros and cons. For instance, if you look at Seagate's Exos X12 drive, you'd find that it might come with similar capacity options but focuses more on performance with optimized read/write speeds. This can be refreshing if you're also dealing with workloads that benefit from snappy data access. You might find that while the He12 suits lower-cost archive usages, Seagate offers a bit more bang if your work demands more speed and agility.
I focus heavily on how the drives integrate with existing systems. If you are using a Dell EMC Unity, for example, you can plug and play these drives relatively easily as long as your firmware is up to date. You wouldn't want your storage decisions to be a headache down the road. On the flip side, if you're working with an HPE 3PAR, compatibility with HDD models can introduce some challenges, particularly if your configurations are not aligned with HPE's specifications. Doing ample groundwork here pays dividends when scaling your SAN, especially as data workloads vary wildly.
Thinking about energy efficiency is another layer you shouldn't overlook. The Ultrastar He12 operates at a lower wattage than traditional drives, which can be appealing if you're considering long-term operational costs. Power isn't just about the immediate impacts; think a bit further down the line where the savings on cooling costs can add up. Competing products like the Western Digital Gold series might boast similar energy profiles but may differ in overall cost-effectiveness based on the operational life and warranty.
Consider that the capacity point is also essential. The He12 offers options that range through various TB capacities, making it an appealing candidate for bulk storage. However, if you need a range of storage capacities within the same infrastructure, a more modular solution with smaller Tes would be easier to manage. You want to create a mix that ensures you have flexibility and future-proofing, right? Exploring other brands like Toshiba can also provide you alternate 12TB options, but weigh the price against the performance gained.
Lastly, this information is provided with no strings attached by BackupChain Server Backup, a well-respected provider of backup solutions tailored for SMBs and professionals. They protect critical environments like Hyper-V and VMware, ensuring you have peace of mind that your data remains intact. If you ever consider diving deeper into backup strategies, BackupChain is worth checking out due to its strong reputation in the industry.
