Seagate ST8000NM018B Exos 7E10 8TB 7200 RPM 256MB Cache SAS 12Gb/s 3.5″ Internal Hard Drive, 512e/4KN

The ST8000NM018B is a high-capacity hard disk drive (HDD) from Seagate’s IronWolf Pro series, designed primarily for use in high-performance NAS (Network Attached Storage) systems and RAID environments. With a storage capacity of 8TB, the ST8000NM018B is engineered for demanding workloads, offering a combination of performance, reliability, and durability for both home and business use. Below is a detailed description of the drive, highlighting its features and capabilities.

Key Features & Specifications:

1. Capacity:

• 8TB Storage Capacity: This drive provides a large 8 terabytes of storage space, making it suitable for various applications, such as media storage, large data backups, video surveillance, and running virtual machines in NAS systems. It’s ideal for small to medium-sized business environments and home users with a need for substantial storage.

2. Drive Type:

• HDD (Hard Disk Drive): The ST8000NM018B is a traditional spinning hard disk drive (HDD), not an SSD. While SSDs are faster, HDDs offer much higher storage capacities at a lower cost per gigabyte. This makes the ST8000NM018B perfect for bulk storage needs where high capacity is more critical than ultra-fast read/write speeds.

3. Form Factor:

• 3.5-inch Form Factor: This drive uses the standard 3.5-inch form factor commonly found in desktop and server-based storage systems, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of NAS, RAID, and storage enclosure systems.

4. Interface & Speed:

• SATA 6Gb/s (Serial ATA III): The ST8000NM018B connects via the SATA III interface, which supports a maximum data transfer rate of 6Gb/s. While not as fast as some other interfaces like SAS or NVMe, SATA III is still suitable for high-capacity storage in environments where data access is more sequential rather than random.

5. Performance:

• Rotational Speed: The drive operates at a 5400 RPM rotational speed. While not the fastest compared to drives that spin at 7200 RPM or higher, the 5400 RPM speed helps balance power consumption, noise, and heat generation, making it ideal for 24/7 operations in NAS systems and data storage environments.
• Cache Size: The ST8000NM018B comes with a 256MB cache. The cache serves as a buffer to store frequently accessed data, improving read/write performance, especially in workloads that involve frequent data retrieval and caching operations.

6. Reliability & Durability:

• Designed for NAS: The ST8000NM018B is part of Seagate’s IronWolf Pro series, meaning it is specifically built for NAS environments. It is optimized to handle multi-user access, high data throughput, and the intense demands of RAID configurations. It features vibration resistance and error recovery control, making it suitable for multi-bay NAS systems.
• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): This HDD is rated for an MTBF of 1 million hours, which reflects the drive’s ability to withstand long-term, continuous operation. This is a critical consideration for systems that require 24/7 uptime.
• Annualized Failure Rate (AFR): The drive is rated for an AFR of 1.2%, indicating a relatively low chance of failure within a year, which is essential for maintaining the reliability of mission-critical storage systems.

7. Workload Rating:

• The ST8000NM018B is rated for a workload of 300TB/year, meaning it can handle large amounts of data written to the disk on an annual basis. This is much higher than consumer-grade HDDs, making it a robust choice for enterprises or home users with high-volume storage requirements.

8. Data Protection & Security:

• IronWolf Health Management (IHM): The drive is equipped with Seagate’s IronWolf Health Management system, which provides advanced monitoring and diagnostic tools for NAS environments. IHM helps to predict potential failures and ensures proactive management, minimizing the risk of data loss.
• Data Recovery Services: Seagate provides data recovery services with the IronWolf Pro drives. This includes a three-year free service for any issues that may result in data loss, providing peace of mind for users with valuable data on their drives.

9. Power Efficiency & Noise:

• Low Power Consumption: At a 5400 RPM speed, this HDD consumes less power compared to faster 7200 RPM drives, which is beneficial for energy efficiency in NAS or RAID setups, especially in environments where the drive will run continuously.
• Low Noise Levels: The lower spin speed also reduces the noise generated by the drive, ensuring quieter operations in home offices, studios, or small business environments.

10. Compatibility:

• NAS Compatibility: The ST8000NM018B is compatible with a wide range of NAS systems from manufacturers like Synology, QNAP, Netgear, and others. It is also suitable for use in RAID arrays, helping improve data redundancy and speed in multi-drive setups.
• Hot Swap Support: This drive supports hot swapping in compatible systems, meaning you can replace or add drives without needing to power down the system. This is particularly useful in 24/7 operational environments where uptime is critical.