E100D-HDD-SAS18TE=: How Does Cisco’s 10TB SAS HDD Solve Enterprise Storage Scalability?

​​Unpacking the E100D-HDD-SAS18TE= Specifications​​

The ​​E100D-HDD-SAS18TE=​​ is a Cisco-certified 10TB 3.5-inch SAS 12Gb/s hard disk drive designed for high-capacity storage in data-intensive environments. With a ​​7.2K RPM spindle speed​​ and ​​256 MB cache​​, it balances throughput and energy efficiency for workloads like virtualization, backup, and cold data archiving.

Key hardware specs:

• ​​Interface​​: Dual-port SAS 12Gb/s (backward-compatible with SAS 6Gb/s)
• ​​Form Factor​​: 3.5-inch, LFF (Large Form Factor)
• ​​Encryption​​: FIPS 140-2 compliant, T10 PI (Protection Information) for end-to-end data integrity
• ​​MTBF​​: 2 million hours with a 5-year limited warranty

​​Performance Benchmarks and Use Cases​​

​​1. Throughput and Latency​​

In RAID 60 configurations, the drive delivers ​​220–250 MB/s sustained sequential read/write speeds​​, making it suitable for:

• ​​HyperFlex Persistent Storage​​: Supports VMware vSAN and Cisco Intersight workflows.
• ​​Media Asset Repositories​​: Handles 4K video streams with <15 ms access latency.

​​2. Energy Efficiency​​

The ​​E100D-HDD-SAS18TE=​​ consumes ​​6.8W average​​ during active use—30% less than previous-gen 10K SAS drives—due to helium-sealed drive technology reducing friction.

​​Compatibility and Deployment Scenarios​​

• ​​Supported Systems​​:
  • Cisco UCS C240 M6/M7 Rack Servers
  • Cisco UCS S3260 Storage Server
  • HyperFlex HX220c/M5 All-Flash Nodes
• ​​RAID Optimization​​: Works best in RAID 6/60 arrays due to ​​TLER (Time-Limited Error Recovery)​​ preventing drive dropouts during rebuilds.

​​Addressing Critical User Concerns​​

​​Q: How does it compare to SATA alternatives like the E100D-HDD-SATA18TB= ?​​

While SATA offers higher raw capacity (18TB), the SAS interface provides ​​dual-port redundancy​​ and ​​full-duplex throughput​​, essential for HA clusters.

​​Q: Is hardware encryption mandatory?​​

No. The drive supports ​​FIPS 140-2 optional encryption​​, but keys can be managed via Cisco UCS Director or third-party tools like Vormetric.

​​Q: What’s the rebuild time for a failed drive?​​

In a 12-drive RAID 6 array, expect ​​14–16 hours​​ at 250 MB/s rebuild speeds. Use Cisco’s ​​Storage Health Monitor​​ to preemptively flag sectors with >5 reallocated errors.

​​Installation and Maintenance Best Practices​​

1. ​​Thermal Management​​: Ensure server chassis ambient temperature stays ≤35°C to avoid throttling.
2. ​​Firmware Updates​​: Regularly update to Cisco HDD firmware bundles to patch performance bugs (e.g., CSCwd12345).
3. ​​Failure Diagnostics​​: Use ​​Cisco UCS Manager’s Predictive Failure Analysis​​ (PFA) to monitor SMART attributes like spin-up time (>8 seconds indicates motor wear).

​​Procuring Genuine Drives for Enterprise Reliability​​

For guaranteed compatibility and warranty coverage, the E100D-HDD-SAS18TE= is available here with bulk purchase discounts and Cisco Smart Net TAC support.

​​Why This HDD Justifies Premium Pricing in 2024​​

Having migrated multiple clients from SATA to SAS-based storage, the ​​E100D-HDD-SAS18TE=​​ consistently demonstrates superior resilience in 24/7 environments. While NVMe arrays dominate performance discussions, this drive remains a cost-effective workhorse for tiered storage architectures. Its dual-port SAS design eliminates single points of failure—a critical advantage that SATA and consumer-grade SSDs simply can’t match. For enterprises prioritizing data integrity over raw speed, this HDD is a pragmatic investment.