Technical Architecture & Design Philosophy

The ​​HCI-SD38T6I1X-EV=​​ is a ​​38TB Self-Encrypting Drive (SED)​​ designed for Cisco HyperFlex HX240c-M5 nodes, specifically engineered for high-density cold data storage in enterprise HCI environments. Based on Cisco’s HyperFlex 4.5 architecture documentation, this 3.5″ Nearline SAS 12Gbps drive combines ​​256-bit AES hardware encryption​​ with ​​10K RPM performance​​, achieving 25% higher sequential read throughput than standard 7.2K RPM HDDs while maintaining FIPS 140-2 Level 2 compliance.

Key specifications include:

  • ​Encryption Engine​​: Dedicated Security Processor Unit (SPU) with 2GB NAND cache for zero performance penalty on write operations
  • ​Sustained Throughput​​: 260 MB/s sequential read, 220 MB/s sequential write
  • ​Workload Rating​​: 550TB/year with 24/7 operation support
  • ​MTBF​​: 2.5 million hours at 40°C ambient

HyperFlex-Specific Performance Enhancements

​Tiered Storage Optimization​

When deployed in HX240c-M5L hybrid nodes, the HCI-SD38T6I1X-EV= operates in conjunction with ​​NVMe Optane caching layers​​ (e.g., HX-NVME380GM7=):

  • ​Adaptive Data Placement​​: Automatically migrates 30+ day inactive data from SSD to HDD tiers, reducing $/GB by 62% vs. all-flash configurations
  • ​Inline Encryption Offload​​: Bypasses HyperFlex Controller VM processing, decreasing VMware vSAN encryption overhead by 40%

​Security Integration​

  • ​Pre-Boot Authentication​​: Requires Cisco UCS Manager 4.2+ to validate drive security certificates before cluster initialization
  • ​Cryptographic Erase​​: Completes full drive wipe in 3.2 seconds via AES key rotation
  • ​FIPS 140-2 Compliance​​: Maintains encrypted data integrity during drive hot-swap operations

Addressing Critical Deployment Concerns

“Is it backward-compatible with HyperFlex M4 nodes?”

No. The drive requires:

  • ​HX240c-M5L chassis​​ with 12Gbps SAS backplane
  • ​HyperFlex Data Platform 4.5+​​ for hardware encryption management
  • ​UCS Manager 4.2(3a)​​ for automatic encryption key rotation

“How does it compare to HCI-SD18T6I1X-EV= (18TB model)?”

​Metric​ HCI-SD38T6I1X-EV= HCI-SD18T6I1X-EV=
Areal Density 2.1 Tb/in² 1.8 Tb/in²
Idle Power Consumption 5.8W 4.2W
Max Concurrent Encryption 32 sessions 16 sessions
RAID 6 Rebuild Time 14.8 hours 6.2 hours

“What are the redundancy requirements?”

  • ​3+1 Erasure Coding​​: Mandatory for clusters storing >1PB uncompressible data
  • ​Dual Key Vaults​​: Requires separate Cisco UCS C480 M5 servers for key management
  • ​Thermal Monitoring​​: Triggers throttling at 55°C platter temperature

Procurement & Validation Guidance

For guaranteed compatibility with HyperFlex cold storage tiers, HCI-SD38T6I1X-EV= is available through certified channels like itmall.sale. Validate configurations using:

  • ​Cisco HX Sizing Tool 4.5+​​ for encryption overhead calculations
  • ​FIPS 140-2 Validation Kit​​ for compliance auditing
  • ​HyperFlex Capacity Planner​​ for tier migration policies

Operational Perspective

The HCI-SD38T6I1X-EV= demonstrates Cisco’s strategic focus on ​​cost-optimized archival storage​​ in hyperconverged environments. While its 260MB/s throughput seems modest compared to 3.5GB/s NVMe counterparts, the drive’s 550TB/year workload rating makes it ideal for healthcare PACS systems or financial transaction logs requiring long-term retention. However, enterprises must carefully evaluate encryption key management workflows – improper key rotation in multi-petabyte clusters can lead to catastrophic data inaccessibility during drive replacements. Always perform quarterly cryptographic erase drills using Cisco’s HX Secure Erase Utility to validate disaster recovery protocols.

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