878562-B21 HPE 10TB 7200RPM SAS 12GBPS 2 Ports LFF Internal HDD

Product Overview of HPE 878562-B21 10TB SAS Internal Hard Drive

HPE 878562-B21 10TB SAS Enterprise-Class Internal HDD

Designed for data centers, virtualization hosts, high-capacity storage arrays, and mission-critical servers, the HPE 878562-B21 10TB 7.2K RPM SAS 12Gbps Dual Port 3.5 inch Internal Hard Drive represents a balance of large capacity, enterprise reliability, and modern interface performance. This category focuses on enterprise-grade SAS hard drives that deliver high storage density, predictable I/O behavior, and advanced drive management features that data center operators, system integrators, and IT administrators depend on. Below we unpack the technical specifications, typical use cases, performance characteristics, integration considerations, and buying guidance for this product class.

Enterprise Reliability and Data Protection

Reliability is a hallmark of HPE enterprise-class storage devices. This 10TB internal hard disk offers end-to-end data integrity and secure data management. With dual SAS connections, the drive not only boosts speed but also minimizes risks associated with single-point failures. Its enterprise-grade design ensures consistent performance even under heavy-duty workloads.

Key Specifications and What They Mean

Capacity and Form Factor

The 10TB capacity is provided in a standard 3.5-inch form factor, which makes these drives ideal for high-density storage enclosures, tower servers with 3.5" bays, and hybrid arrays where fewer physical drives mean reduced power, cooling and rack space. 10TB per drive enables significant storage consolidation compared with smaller-capacity models, allowing fewer spindles to host larger datasets and archives.

Rotational Speed: 7,200 RPM

A spindle speed of 7.2K RPM (7,200 revolutions per minute) provides a predictable compromise between throughput, seek latency, and power consumption. For many enterprise workloads — sequential reads/writes, backup-to-disk, archival, and mixed transactional environments — 7.2K drives deliver excellent sustained transfer rates without the higher power and heat of 10K/15K RPM enterprise disks.

Interface: SAS 12Gbps Dual Port

These HPE drives use the SAS 12Gb/s (12 Gigabits per second) interface and are equipped with dual-port connectivity. SAS 12Gbps offers higher maximum throughput than SATA, improved command queuing, and enterprise-level error recovery. Dual-port architecture allows two independent data paths — crucial for SANs and enterprise arrays — enabling multipath I/O, path failover, and uninterrupted connectivity in redundant arrays and high-availability server/storage configurations.

Enterprise Reliability and Durability Features

High Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) and Workload Ratings

Drives in this category are specified for enterprise-class MTBF values and are rated for high annual workloads (expressed in TB/year or drive writes per day). These ratings indicate that the drive is engineered for continuous operation in 24/7 environments, supporting both read-heavy and mixed-read/write enterprise workloads.

Advanced Error Handling and Data Integrity

Enterprise SAS drives include features such as error recovery controls, strong CRC checks on the SAS protocol, and enhanced firmware algorithms that help prevent data corruption and reduce the risk of silent data errors. These drives also support TLER-like (Time-Limited Error Recovery) behavior that reduces the risk of unintended RAID rebuilds by bounding how long the drive spends on internal error recovery.

Vibration and Thermal Tolerance

Designed for multi-drive enclosures, HPE 10TB SAS drives are built to tolerate higher vibration levels and tighter thermal envelopes found in dense server racks. Robust mechanical design and enclosure-aware firmware enable consistent performance across large arrays.

Performance Characteristics and Benchmarks

Sequential Throughput

At 7.2K RPM and using SAS 12Gbps, these drives deliver strong sequential read and write throughput, making them a solid choice for large-file streaming, backup/restore operations, and media repositories. Sustained transfer rates are typically dramatically higher than SATA counterparts of similar capacity under enterprise firmware tuning.

Random I/O and IOPS

Traditional mechanical drives exhibit higher latency and lower IOPS than SSDs, however enterprise 7.2K SAS drives provide predictable random I/O performance suitable for workloads that are not latency sensitive or that are architected to aggregate disk IOPS across a large number of drives or combined caching layers. When combined with cache tiers (NVMe/SAS SSDs), these drives become effective bulk-storage layers in tiered storage architectures.

Latency Considerations

Seek and rotational latency of a 7.2K RPM drive will be higher than that of 10K/15K drives or flash. For latency-sensitive database transaction logs or I/O bound OLTP workloads, system architects should consider mixing flash tiers with these spinning disks or opt for higher-RPM SAS drives as needed.

Typical Use Cases and Deployment Scenarios

Mass Storage and Archival

Because of the high capacity and reasonable cost per TB, 10TB SAS drives are ideal for cold-to-warm data repositories, file servers, and archival storage where capacity and reliability are more important than ultra-low latency. Examples include log retention, backup targets, content repositories, and object storage nodes.

Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)

In HCI environments that combine compute and storage on the same node, a 10TB SAS drive can be used as a capacity tier beneath a flash performance tier. Providers often recommend mixing several of these 3.5" disks with NVMe or SAS SSDs to deliver both IOPS and capacity within each node.

RAID Arrays and Storage Shelves

These drives are commonly used as data drives in RAID configurations (RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10) inside HPE storage arrays and third-party enclosures. Dual-port SAS makes them appropriate for shared-storage backplanes where redundant paths and controller-level multipathing are required.

Media and Post-Production Storage

Video editing, VFX, and media asset management systems often require large sequential I/O throughput and capacity; 10TB drives provide a cost-effective bulk-storage layer for high-resolution footage and archives.

Compatibility and Integration

HPE Server and Storage Compatibility

The HPE part number 878562-B21 typically indicates firmware and vendor validation for HPE ProLiant servers and HPE storage chassis. While these drives may physically fit and electrically interface with other vendors' SAS controllers, using vendor-validated drives can improve compatibility, firmware updates, and supportability with the HPE ecosystem.

Controller and Backplane Requirements

Ensure your RAID controller or HBA supports SAS 12Gb/s and dual-port devices. Legacy single-port SATA-only backplanes or controllers will not fully take advantage of the drive's dual-path capabilities. For maximum performance and redundancy, use multipath-capable HBAs and SAS expanders designed for enterprise workloads.

Firmware and Drive Identification

HPE-branded drives often include HPE-specific firmware tuned for their systems. When replacing or expanding capacity, match the firmware family and minifirmware level where possible to avoid drive behavior anomalies in mixed-firmware environments. Always verify firmware revisions and apply vendor-recommended updates via system management tools.

Power, Cooling, and Physical Considerations

Power Consumption and Efficiency

7.2K RPM enterprise drives are engineered to balance power draw with performance. While they use less power than higher RPM drives under sustained load, the total power budget must account for multiple drives per chassis. Plan for peak power draw during intensive read/write operations and RAID rebuilds.

Thermal Management and Rack Design

Proper airflow and chassis cooling are essential to ensure consistent drive longevity and performance. Drive bays should not be obstructed and server fan curves tuned according to manufacturer guidance. In dense storage arrays, ensure drive inlet temperatures remain within specified limits to avoid thermally-induced performance throttling.

Physical Mounting and Hot-Swap Capability

Most HPE 3.5" drives are packaged in hot-swap caddies compatible with HPE server trays and storage sleds. Hot-swap capability minimizes downtime and simplifies drive replacement. Ensure you follow safe hot-swap procedures (graceful offline of the drive via management tools, waiting for rebuild completion if required) to prevent data loss.

Scalability

The HPE 878562-B21 is tailored to integrate seamlessly with HPE ProLiant servers and enterprise storage systems. Its SAS 12Gbps interface ensures compatibility with a wide variety of enterprise infrastructures, supporting both current and future storage demands. This flexibility makes it an ideal choice for businesses scaling their data operations.