Hard Drives
Buy SAN and storage array hard drives by array family and OEM part number rather than by capacity alone: Dell, for example, documents its SC5020 as shipping with and supporting Dell Enterprise Plus drives, which is why array drives are matched by array family and by the number of the drive they replace. Open the Dell EqualLogic, Dell Compellent, Dell PowerVault, NetApp or HPE Nimble drive page, then match capacity, speed and form factor; array drives come as 10K and 15K SAS and 7.2K nearline SAS in 2.5- and 3.5-inch sizes. SAS vs SATA explains the interface difference.
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HPE Nimble Storage 6TB 7.2K SAS 3.5" 12Gbps Hard Drive | SP-HDD-6TBAvailability: Only 10 leftManufacturer: HPE Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyBuy Now$199.99 - Dell EqualLogic MFK2F-EQL 1.2TB 10K SAS 2.5" 12Gbps Hard Drive | ST1200MM0009Availability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell Compellent 02R3X-CML 600GB 15K SAS 3.5" 6Gbps Hard Drive | ST3600057SSAvailability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell Compellent 0KN4X-CML 2TB 7.2K NL SAS 3.5" 6Gbps Hard Drive | ST32000645SSAvailability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell Compellent 6FV4P-CML 1.8TB 10K SAS 2.5" 12Gbps Hard Drive | ST1800MM0129Availability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell Compellent D9MR9-CML 6TB 7.2K NL SAS 3.5" 12Gbps SED Hard DriveAvailability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell EqualLogic P96TY-EQL 6TB 7.2K NL SAS 3.5" 12Gbps 4K Hard Drive ST6000NM0105Availability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell 7C2VG Xyratex 2TB 7.2K NL SAS 3.5" 6Gbps Hard Drive | Seagate ST32000444SSAvailability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell Compellent 25N64-CML 4TB 7.2K NL SAS 3.5" 12Gbps Hard Drive | ST4000NM0005Availability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell Compellent 68C7N-CML 300GB 15K SAS 2.5" 12Gbps Hard Drive | HUC156030CSS204Availability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell Compellent 6H6FG-CML 3TB 7.2K NL SAS 3.5" 6Gbps Hard Drive | ST33000650SSAvailability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
- Dell Compellent FR83F-CML 900GB 10K SAS 2.5" 6Gbps Hard Drive | ST9900805SSAvailability: Available by QuoteManufacturer: Dell Condition: Refurbished 1 Year WarrantyRequest PricingOut of stock
Why array drives differ from server drives
A storage array accepts the drives its maker has qualified for it, and each maker documents the rule for its own family:
| Array family | What the maker requires of a replacement drive | Where it is written |
|---|---|---|
| Dell EqualLogic PS Series | Dell-provided drives only, in carriers keyed to specific array models, matching the array's drives in type, speed and spin rate | PS6210 Hardware Owner's Manual |
| Dell Compellent SC Series | Dell Enterprise Plus drives | SC5020 Owner's Manual |
| NetApp DS shelves | A drive the shelf supports, as listed in the NetApp Hardware Universe; NetApp recommends loading its Disk Qualification Package before the swap | NetApp DS224C and DS212C drive replacement procedure |
| HPE Nimble Storage | A replacement drive ordered from HPE, fitted into the array's drive carrier | HPE Nimble Storage hardware guide |
Sector size can differ as well. A NetApp knowledge base article shows a normal ONTAP drive at 520 bytes per sector and the same drive reported as failed once it is set to 512, so a drive formatted for a server is not a drop-in spare for a NetApp shelf.
Buy the drive version made for your array and match its capacity, speed and form factor to the drive it replaces. Matching SSDs are under storage array SSDs, carriers under array drive trays, and every other spare under storage array components.
SAN hard drive questions
- Can I use a regular server hard drive in a SAN array?
- Usually not, because array makers support only drives they have qualified. Dell limits PS Series arrays to Dell-provided drives and controls drive firmware only on those, NetApp requires a drive its shelf supports in the Hardware Universe, and HPE's Nimble replacement procedure calls for a drive ordered from HPE. Buy the array maker's drive version, matched on capacity, speed and form factor.
