Description
More Information
The Western Digital Ultrastar WUH721816ALE6L4 is a 16TB hard drive with a spindle speed of 7200 RPM, and uses the SATA (Serial ATA) interface, with a data transfer rate of 6 Gbps. It is designed for use in data center and enterprise environments, where high storage density and reliability are required.
This drive is a 3.5-inch form factor and has a large storage capacity which is ideal for bulk storage applications such as data archiving, backups, and media storage.
As a 7200 RPM drive, it should offer faster read and write speeds than slower 5400 RPM drives, but it will also consume more power and generate more heat. Additionally, as a mechanical hard drive, it may not have the same performance as a solid-state drive. This drive is designed for use in a wide variety of storage systems and servers and is typically used in high-end servers, workstations, and storage arrays that require high storage density and reliability. To use this drive, the system must have a free SATA port, which is typically found in most modern computers and servers.
Key Features of the Western Digital WUH721816ALE6L4
The Western Digital WUH721816ALE6L4 Ultrastar DC HC550 comes with a range of features that make it a compelling choice for enterprise users. Let’s dive into each of these features in detail:
- Capacity: At 16 Terabytes (TB), this hard drive offers an enormous amount of storage space. This is ideal for businesses and professionals dealing with large volumes of data, including video files, databases, and more. With such high capacity, it can serve as a central storage hub for various applications.
- Speed: The hard drive operates at 7200 Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). This high rotational speed allows for fast data access and retrieval. It’s particularly important for applications that require quick data access, such as video editing, data analytics, and high-performance computing.
- SATA Interface: The Ultrastar DC HC550 uses a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) interface. SATA is a common and widely supported interface in the industry, making it compatible with a broad range of devices, including servers, workstations, and storage arrays.
- Data Transfer Rate: This hard drive offers a data transfer rate of 6 Gigabits Per Second (GBPS). This ensures that data can be moved quickly between the hard drive and other components in the storage system, minimizing bottlenecks and enhancing overall system performance.
- Buffer Size: The Ultrastar DC HC550 is equipped with a generous 512MB buffer. The buffer acts as a temporary storage area for data in transit, helping to smooth out data transfer and improve overall system performance.
- 512E Sector Format: This hard drive utilizes the 512 Emulation (512E) sector format. This format allows compatibility with both legacy systems that use 512-byte sectors and modern systems that use 4K sectors. This versatility ensures that the hard drive can be used in a wide range of environments.
- 3.5-inch Large Form Factor (LFF): The 3.5-inch form factor is a standard size for enterprise hard drives. It makes the drive compatible with many storage enclosures and server bays, simplifying installation.
- Helium Platform: The Ultrastar DC HC550 utilizes a helium-filled platform. Helium is lighter than air, reducing the air resistance inside the drive and allowing for more platters and read/write heads to be packed into the same space. This enhances the drive’s overall storage capacity and efficiency.
Applications of the Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC550
The Ultrastar DC HC550 is designed with enterprise applications in mind. Its impressive features make it suitable for a wide range of use cases, including:
- Data Centers: Data centers require high-capacity, high-performance storage solutions to manage the enormous amount of data generated by businesses and users. The 16TB capacity and 7200 RPM speed of the Ultrastar DC HC550 make it a strong contender for data center deployments.
- Content Delivery: In the world of content delivery, whether it’s streaming video or hosting large files for download, fast and reliable storage is essential. The hard drive’s 6 GBPS data transfer rate and large buffer size help ensure seamless content delivery.
- Media Production: Video editing, 3D rendering, and other media production tasks demand substantial storage capacity and speed. The Ultrastar DC HC550’s 16TB capacity and 7200 RPM speed can handle large files and complex projects associated with media production.
- Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: Enterprises need dependable storage solutions for backup and recovery. This hard drive’s reliability, high capacity, and 512E sector format ensure it can be an integral part of a disaster recovery strategy.
- Data Analytics: Data analytics relies on fast data access and transfer. The 7200 RPM speed and 6 GBPS data transfer rate of the Ultrastar DC HC550 support data-intensive analytics workloads.
- Archiving and Compliance: Certain industries, such as healthcare and finance, have strict regulations governing data retention and compliance. The large capacity of the Ultrastar DC HC550 is suitable for long-term data archiving and compliance needs.
Performance and Reliability
The Western Digital Ultrastar WUH721816ALE6L4 is a 16TB hard drive with a spindle speed of 7200 RPM, and uses the SATA (Serial ATA) interface, with a data transfer rate of 6 Gbps. As a 7200 RPM drive, it should offer faster read and write performance than slower 5400 RPM drives. The maximum sustained data transfer rate for this drive would typically be around 216 MB/s, but this number can vary depending on how the drive is being utilized and on other components of the system. Additionally, as a mechanical hard drive, it may not have the same performance as a solid-state drive.
The large storage capacity of this drive is beneficial for high-density storage applications such as data archiving, backups, and media storage. It’s also designed for use in data center and enterprise environments, where high reliability is important. This drive has been built with enterprise-grade components and is designed to operate in a 24×7 environment, thus it has a higher tolerance to heat, vibration, and noise as compared to consumer-grade hard drives. It also has a longer MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) which makes it suitable for use in mission-critical applications.
Compatibility
The Western Digital Ultrastar WUH721816ALE6L4 is a 16TB hard drive that uses the SATA (Serial ATA) interface, which is widely supported by most modern computer systems. It should be compatible with most desktop and laptop computers that have a free SATA port, as well as servers and other storage devices that support the SATA interface. This drive is a 3.5-inch form factor which is commonly used in most Desktop and Servers.
However, it’s important to check the system or device’s documentation or consult with the manufacturer to confirm compatibility before purchasing. The system or device must have a free SATA port, which is typically found in most modern computers and servers, but some legacy systems may not support this drive, in this case, if the motherboard supports SATA III and the drive is SATA III, it will function fine, but at the slower SATA II speed.
In addition, you also need to check if the device has the power supply to handle the drive, since this drive has a high storage capacity, it consumes more power than a standard drive, so it’s important to check if the device can handle it or not.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is a growing concern in data centers and other enterprise environments. The Ultrastar DC HC550 addresses this concern through its helium platform and other energy-saving features:
- Helium-Filled Design: Helium is less dense than air, which reduces the amount of power needed to spin the drive’s platters. This results in lower power consumption and, subsequently, reduced heat generation. In data center environments with a large number of drives, this can lead to significant energy savings.
- Low Power Consumption: The hard drive is designed with low power consumption in mind. This is particularly important in scenarios where drives are constantly active, as it can contribute to reduced operating costs.
- Idle Modes: The drive supports various power-saving modes, allowing it to enter a low-power state when not in use. This further contributes to energy efficiency and reduces heat generation.
- Compliance with Energy Standards: The Ultrastar DC HC550 complies with various energy efficiency standards and regulations, making it a responsible choice for environmentally conscious organizations.
General Information about this HPE WUH721816ALE6L4
- Manufacturer: Western Digital
- Part Number or SKU# WUH721816ALE6L4
- Product Line: Ultrastar
- Product Series: Ultrastar DC HC550
- Product Type: 16TB Hard Disk Drive
Key Features of Hard Disk Drive
- Storage Capacity: 16 TB
- Enclosure: Internal
- Interface: SATA-6GBPS
- Drive Dimensions: 3.5 Inch
- MTBF: 2.5 Million Hours
Drive Performance for SATA 6GBPS HDD
- Interface Transfer Rate: 600 MBPS
- Sustained Transfer Rate: 250 MBPS
- Average Latency: 4.16 MS
- Buffer: 512 MB
- Rotational Speed: 7200 RPM
Applications / Environments
- Cloud & Hyperscale Storage
- Massive Scale-Out (MSO), High-density Data Centers
- Distributed File Systems
- Bulk Storage Using Object Storage Solutions Likeceph™ And Openstack® Swift
- Primary And Secondary Storage For Apachehadoop® For Big Data Analytics
In summary, the Western Digital WUH721816ALE6L4 Ultrastar DC HC550 is a high-capacity, high-performance, and reliable enterprise hard drive designed for a wide range of applications. Its 16 Terabyte capacity, 7200 RPM speed, 6 GBPS SATA interface, and advanced features make it a suitable choice for data centers, content delivery, media production, business continuity, data analytics, and archiving. Its performance, reliability, and energy efficiency are key strengths that cater to the needs of enterprise users.
The drive’s compatibility with various systems and environments, ease of installation, and comprehensive warranty and support package further enhance its appeal as an enterprise storage solution. Western Digital’s commitment to quality and innovation is evident in the Ultrastar DC HC550, making it a reliable choice for businesses and professionals seeking dependable storage for their critical data.