Cisco UCS-HD600G10K12N= Hardware Deep Dive: Enterprise Storage Expansion for Unified Computing Systems

​​Decoding the UCS-HD600G10K12N= Component​​

The Cisco UCS-HD600G10K12N= is a ​​high-density storage expansion module​​ designed for Cisco’s Unified Computing System (UCS) portfolio. This 12-drive chassis extension integrates with UCS 5100-series blade servers, enabling enterprises to scale storage capacity without compromising compute performance. Unlike standard JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) solutions, it operates under Cisco’s unified management framework through UCS Manager, ensuring policy consistency across hybrid infrastructure.

​​Technical Architecture and Compatibility​​

​​Drive Configuration and Interface Protocol​​

• Supports ​​12x 2.5-inch hot-swappable SAS/SATA drives​​ with dual-ported connectivity
• Utilizes ​​6Gb/s SAS-3 backplane​​ for minimized latency (<1ms) during high-throughput operations
• Compatible with ​​Cisco UCS 6248UP Fabric Interconnects​​ for end-to-end Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) support

​​Power and Thermal Design​​

• ​​80+ Platinum redundant power supplies​​ (1,200W each) with dynamic load balancing
• ​​N+1 fan redundancy​​ with adaptive cooling algorithms for 40°C ambient temperature tolerance
• Power capping via UCS Manager to align with data center sustainability goals

​​Operational Use Cases​​

​​Hyperscale Database Acceleration​​

Financial institutions leverage the UCS-HD600G10K12N= for ​​real-time transaction processing​​, pairing it with UCS B200 M5 blades to achieve 450,000 IOPS per chassis. The dual-domain SAS zoning prevents contention between OLTP and analytics workloads.

​​Virtualized Media Storage​​

Media firms deploying 8K video editing workflows use this module’s ​​96TB raw capacity (8TB SAS SSDs)​​ to sustain 1.6GB/s read speeds per drive. The chassis’s ​​RAID 60 support​​ ensures fault tolerance during multi-stream 4K renders.

​​Deployment Best Practices​​

​​Firmware and Interoperability​​

• Requires ​​UCS Manager 4.1(3a)​​ or later for full feature parity
• SAS Expander firmware must match UCS C-Series server revisions to avoid I/O bottlenecks

​​Troubleshooting Common Issues​​

• ​​Drive identification failures​​: Validate SAS domain partitioning rules in UCS Central
• ​​Thermal shutdowns​​: Recalibrate airflow using the UCS Power Calculator based on rack placement

​​Licensing and Procurement Considerations​​

The UCS-HD600G10K12N= ships as a ​​factory-integrated SKU​​ without software licenses. Enterprises must acquire:

• ​​Cisco UCS Storage Accelerator License​​ for RAID 5/6/60 capabilities
• ​​Smart Call Home subscription​​ for predictive failure analysis

For verified hardware sourcing and Cisco-authorized support, organizations can explore options at [“UCS-HD600G10K12N=” link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/).

​​Strategic Value in Modern Data Centers​​

Having evaluated multiple storage expansion solutions, the UCS-HD600G10K12N= stands out for its ​​native integration with Cisco’s automation stack​​ – a critical advantage over third-party enclosures. While the upfront cost per terabyte exceeds generic alternatives, the operational savings from centralized management and Fabric Interconnect convergence justify long-term TCO. In regulated industries, the module’s FIPS 140-2 compliant encryption (when paired with UCS C460 M5 servers) eliminates the need for external cryptographic appliances.