03P3DF Dell 900GB 10K RPM SAS 6GBPS HDD with Tray.

Dell 03K30N 1.2TB 10K RPM SAS 12GBPS Hard Disk Drive

The Dell 03K30N 1.2TB SAS hard drive is a high-performance enterprise storage solution designed for Dell PowerEdge servers and PowerVault storage systems. Featuring a 10,000 RPM spindle speed, SAS 12Gbps interface, and 2.5-inch small form factor, this hot-swappable hard disk drive delivers fast data access, dependable reliability, and excellent performance for mission-critical applications.

General Information

• Manufacturer: Dell
• Part Number: 03K30N
• Product Type: Hot Plug Hard Disk Drive

Technical Specifications

• Storage Capacity: 1.2TB
• Interface: SAS 12GBPS
• Rotational Speed: 10000 RPM
• Form Factor: 2.5-Inch Small Form Factor (SFF)
• Buffer Size: 128MB Cache
• Sector Format: 512n Advanced Format
• Tray Included: Yes
• Interface Type: Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)
• Drive Format: 512 Native (512n)
• Enclosure Type: Internal
• Installation Type: Hot Plug / Hot Swap

Performance Specifications

• External Data Transfer Rate: 1200 MB/s
• Average Seek Time: 4.5 ms
• Buffer Memory: 128MB
• Hot Swap Support: Yes

Compatibility

Supported Dell PowerEdge Rack And Tower Servers

• PowerEdge R210, R220, R230, R310, R320, R330
• PowerEdge R410, R415, R420, R430, R510, R515
• PowerEdge R610, R620, R630, R710, R715, R720, R720XD
• PowerEdge R730, R730XD, R805, R810, R815, R820, R830
• PowerEdge R900, R905, R910, R920, R930
• PowerEdge T20, T110, T310, T320, T330, T410
• PowerEdge T420, T430, T440, T610, T620, T630, T640, T710

Supported Modular And Cloud Servers

• PowerEdge C1100, C2100, C6100, C6220
• PowerEdge M420, M510, M520, M600, M605
• PowerEdge M610, M610x, M620, M630
• PowerEdge M710, M710HD, M710XD
• PowerEdge M805, M820, M830, M905, M910, M915

Supported Dell PowerVault Storage Arrays

• PowerVault MD1120, MD1200, MD1220
• PowerVault MD3200, MD3220, MD3220i
• PowerVault MD3400, MD3420, MD3420i
• PowerVault MD3460, MD3600, MD3600F, MD3600i
• PowerVault MD3620, MD3620F, MD3620i
• PowerVault MD3820i, MD3860i
• PowerVault M1000e

Dell 03P3DF 900GB 10K RPM 64MB Hard Disk Drive Overview

The Dell 03P3DF 900GB 10K RPM 64MB Buffer SAS 6GBPS Hard Disk Drive with Tray is a high-performance enterprise storage solution designed for demanding server environments, data centers, and mission-critical computing systems. Engineered to deliver a balance between speed, reliability, and storage capacity, this hard disk drive is widely used in enterprise-grade Dell PowerEdge servers and compatible storage infrastructures where consistent performance and data integrity are essential. This category of enterprise SAS hard drives is specifically built to support heavy workloads, virtualization environments, cloud computing systems, and high-transaction database operations. With its 900GB storage capacity, 10,000 RPM rotational speed, and SAS 6Gbps interface, it ensures stable throughput and low latency performance for continuous operations in professional IT environments.

Enterprise-Class Storage and Design

The Dell 03P3DF hard drive belongs to the enterprise SAS HDD category, which is designed with durability and continuous operation in mind. Unlike consumer-grade storage devices, this drive is optimized for 24/7 uptime, making it suitable for servers that must remain operational without interruption.

Durability in High-Demand

This drive is engineered for environments where multiple users or applications access data simultaneously. It is commonly deployed in virtualization clusters, enterprise databases, and cloud storage systems where performance consistency is critical. The robust construction enhances operational lifespan and reduces failure rates compared to standard desktop HDDs.

900GB Storage Capacity

The 900GB capacity of the Dell 03P3DF provides a balanced storage solution for enterprises that require high-speed access to moderate-to-large datasets. This capacity is ideal for operating system installations, application hosting, database indexing, and virtual machine storage.

10K RPM Performance 

The 10,000 revolutions per minute spindle speed is one of the defining features of this hard disk drive. It significantly improves data access speed compared to 7.2K RPM or 5.4K RPM drives commonly used in consumer systems.

Reduced Latency and Faster Access Times

Higher rotational speed reduces the time required for the read/write head to locate data on the disk platter. This results in lower latency, making the drive suitable for transactional systems such as financial applications, ERP systems, and real-time analytics platforms.

Enhanced Multi-User Performance

In multi-user environments where multiple requests are processed simultaneously, the 10K RPM speed ensures smoother workload distribution. This reduces bottlenecks and enhances overall system responsiveness in server environments.

SAS 6Gbps Interface Technology

The Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) 6Gbps interface provides a high-speed and reliable communication channel between the hard drive and the server system. This enterprise interface is designed for scalability, performance, and redundancy.

Enterprise-Grade Signal Integrity

SAS technology provides better signal integrity compared to SATA, reducing data corruption risks and ensuring consistent performance even under heavy load conditions. This makes it a preferred choice in enterprise server infrastructure.

64MB Buffer Cache

The integrated 64MB buffer cache plays a crucial role in optimizing data access speed. It temporarily stores frequently accessed data, reducing the need for repeated platter access and improving overall system efficiency.

Accelerated Read and Write Operations

The buffer cache enhances both sequential and random data access operations. This is particularly beneficial in database systems where repetitive queries require fast response times.

Hot-Swap Functionality

The included tray enables hot-swapping capability, allowing system administrators to replace or upgrade drives without shutting down the server. This is essential for maintaining uptime in critical business operations. The tray system simplifies installation and removal processes, reducing downtime during hardware upgrades or maintenance procedures. This improves operational efficiency in data center management.

Enterprise Reliability and RAID

This hard drive is commonly used in RAID configurations to enhance data redundancy, performance, and fault tolerance. Its enterprise-grade build quality ensures consistent performance in RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 setups.

Data Protection and Redundancy

RAID configurations using SAS drives provide improved data protection against hardware failures. The Dell 03P3DF ensures reliable performance even in distributed storage environments where redundancy is critical.

Data Center and Cloud Infrastructure Usage

The Dell 03P3DF is widely deployed in modern data centers and cloud computing infrastructures. Its combination of speed, reliability, and moderate capacity makes it ideal for scalable storage architectures.

Virtualization Support

Virtualized environments require storage solutions that can handle multiple virtual machines simultaneously. This SAS hard drive delivers consistent performance for hypervisors and virtual machine storage pools.

High Availability Systems

In cloud infrastructures, high availability is essential. The drive supports redundant configurations that ensure continuous access to data even during hardware maintenance.

SATA Enterprise Drives

Compared to SATA-based enterprise drives, the SAS interface in the Dell 03P3DF provides superior reliability, faster error recovery, and improved scalability. While SATA drives are suitable for general storage, SAS drives are designed for mission-critical workloads.

Reliability and Endurance Advantages

SAS drives are built with higher endurance ratings, allowing them to sustain continuous read/write cycles without performance degradation over time. This ensures long-term stability in enterprise deployments.

Server Deployment Efficiency

IT administrators benefit from simplified deployment processes, allowing rapid scaling of storage capacity across server clusters. This is particularly valuable in large-scale enterprise environments.

Enterprise Storage Value

The Dell 03P3DF 900GB 10K RPM SAS hard drive represents a balanced storage solution for organizations that require both speed and reliability. Its application spans across database servers, virtualization platforms, cloud computing systems, and enterprise application hosting environments. The combination of high rotational speed, SAS interface, enterprise-grade durability, and integrated tray system makes it a preferred choice for IT professionals seeking stable and efficient storage solutions in demanding infrastructures.