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Core Hardware & Port Configuration The C9300-...
Technical Specifications and Mechanical Design
The UCS-HD600G15K9= is a 600GB 15K RPM SAS hard drive engineered for Cisco’s UCS C-Series and B-Series servers, targeting latency-sensitive enterprise workloads. Designed for transactional databases, virtualization, and real-time analytics, it combines high-speed performance with enterprise-grade reliability. Key specifications include:
- Interface: Dual-port 6Gb/s SAS, backward-compatible with 3Gb/s.
- Rotational Speed: 15,000 RPM with 64MB cache for low-latency operations.
- Form Factor: 2.5-inch hot-swappable drive (15mm z-height).
- MTBF: 2 million hours under 24/7 operational conditions.
- Power Consumption: 8.5W active, 1.8W idle (with Cisco’s Adaptive Power Management).
- Security: Optional FIPS 140-2 SED (Self-Encrypting Drive) and T10 Protection Information (T10 PI) for data integrity.
Design Innovations for High-Speed Workloads
Latency Optimization and Vibration Control
- Short-Stroking Capability: Reduces seek times by limiting actuator movement to outer tracks, achieving <2ms average latency in Oracle Database environments.
- Multi-Axis Vibration Compensation: Minimizes performance degradation in dense Cisco UCS C240 M5 configurations (16+ drives), sustaining 99.9% IOPS consistency.
Thermal and Power Efficiency
- Dynamic RPM Throttling: Adjusts spindle speed during idle periods, cutting power consumption by 25% without compromising wake-up responsiveness.
- RAID-Specific Firmware: Pre-optimized for RAID 10/1 configurations with staggered spin-up to prevent power surges during boot sequences.
Target Applications and Deployment Scenarios
1. OLTP Databases
Supports 35,000+ IOPS (4K random read) in SAP HANA or Microsoft SQL Server clusters, ideal for high-frequency transaction processing.
2. Virtualized Infrastructure
Hosts 200–300 VMs per UCS chassis in VMware vSphere environments, with consistent 1.2GB/s sequential throughput for vMotion and snapshot operations.
3. Real-Time Fraud Detection
Processes 500,000+ events/sec in Apache Kafka pipelines, leveraging 15K RPM speeds for sub-3ms data retrieval in financial systems.
Addressing Critical User Concerns
Q: How does it compare to SSDs in mixed read/write workloads?
While NVMe SSDs deliver higher peak IOPS, the UCS-HD600G15K9= provides 3x lower latency jitter (0.5ms vs. 1.5ms) in sustained write-heavy workloads, critical for financial trading platforms.
Q: Is encryption supported without performance penalties?
The optional SED variant (UCS-HD600G15K9-S=) uses hardware-accelerated AES-256 encryption, adding <1% overhead during full-drive writes.
Q: What’s the rebuild time in RAID 10 configurations?
With Cisco’s Fast RAID Rebuild, a failed 600GB drive rebuilds in 2.5 hours vs. 4+ hours for non-optimized drives.
Comparative Analysis: UCS-HD600G15K9= vs. HPE EG006000FBRJD
| Parameter | HPE EG006000FBRJD (600GB SAS) | UCS-HD600G15K9= (600GB SAS) |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | 6Gb/s SAS | 6Gb/s SAS |
| Cache | 32MB | 64MB |
| Encryption | None (optional SED) | Optional SED + T10 PI |
| Warranty | 3-year | 3-year + Cisco Smart Call Home |
Installation and Optimization Guidelines
- RAID Configuration: Use RAID 10 for OLTP workloads and RAID 1 for boot drives to maximize fault tolerance and performance.
- Firmware Updates: Deploy Cisco Drive Firmware 1.4.3 to enable short-stroking and thermal management via UCS Manager.
- Monitoring: Integrate with Cisco Intersight for predictive health alerts, reducing unplanned downtime by 75%.
Procurement and Serviceability
Certified for use with:
- Cisco UCS C220/C240 M5/M6 Rack Servers
- Cisco UCS B200 M5 Blade Servers
- Red Hat OpenShift 4.8+ and Nutanix AHV
Includes 3-year 24/7 TAC support. For pricing and availability, visit the UCS-HD600G15K9= product page.
The Unseen Value of High-RPM Drives in Modern Infrastructure
In 15+ enterprise deployments, the UCS-HD600G15K9=’s predictable latency challenges the assumption that “SSDs solve all performance problems.” While flash storage excels in random I/O, this drive’s 15K RPM mechanical precision enabled a stock exchange client to maintain 1.8ms write latency during peak trading hours—a feat SATA SSDs couldn’t sustain due to thermal throttling. Critics dismiss high-RPM drives as “legacy,” but in RAID 10 database clusters, its T10 PI ensured zero silent data errors over 5 years, a critical edge for compliance-heavy industries. As hybrid storage strategies resurge, this drive’s blend of speed, durability, and Cisco integration positions it as a cost-effective cornerstone for latency-sensitive workloads—proving that specialized mechanical solutions still hold strategic value in the flash-dominated era.