HPE 862431-B21 1.2TB 10K RPM SAS 12GBPS SFF TL ENT Spcl SC Hard Disk Drive.

Main Specifications of HPE 862431-B21 1.2TB SAS HDD

• Brand: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
• Model Number: 862431-B21
• Category: Enterprise-Class Hard Disk Drive
• Drive Capacity: 1.2 Terabytes
• Form Factor: 2.5 Inch Small Form Factor (SFF)
• Interface: SAS 12Gbps
• Speed: 10,000 RPM
• Use Case: Data Center, Enterprise Storage, and Mission-Critical Applications

Performance Highlights

High-Speed Operation

The HPE 862431-B21 delivers 10K RPM spindle speed, ensuring fast data transfers and reduced latency for demanding workloads.

Reliable Connectivity

Equipped with a SAS 12Gbps interface, this hard drive supports high-bandwidth throughput, offering quick access for read/write operations.

Enhanced Data Handling

With its enterprise-grade design, the drive is optimized for multitasking environments, database operations, and transactional workloads.

Enterprise-Level Durability

Robust Build Quality

This model is engineered for continuous operation, delivering reliability for large-scale IT infrastructures.

Data Protection and Security

Featuring enterprise-class error correction and consistent performance under heavy use, the drive enhances long-term data security.

Compatibility and Deployment

Seamless Integration

Designed for HPE servers and storage arrays, the 862431-B21 ensures maximum compatibility and smooth installation.

Versatile Applications

• Virtualization and cloud infrastructure
• Business-critical database management
• High-performance transaction systems
• Enterprise-level storage expansion

Key Benefits of Choosing HPE 862431-B21

• Enterprise-class 1.2TB storage capacity with 10K RPM performance
• Reliable SAS 12Gbps interface for rapid data throughput
• Small form factor design to save space in dense server racks
• Optimized for 24/7 operation with exceptional durability
• Ideal for business-critical applications, virtualization, and databases

HPE 862431-B21 1.2TB 10K RPM SAS 12Gbps SFF TL ENT Spcl SC Hard Disk Drive

Overview of the HPE 862431-B21 Series and Enterprise Use Cases

The HPE 862431-B21 1.2TB 10K RPM SAS 12Gbps 2.5 Inch SFF TL ENT Spcl SC Hard Disk Drive is engineered for enterprise environments that require a balance of sustained performance, predictable latency, and capacity efficiency in compact form factors. Designed for use in high-density server and storage arrays, this drive addresses mixed workload demands found in virtualization, database hosting, web services, and tiered storage configurations. The 2.5 inch small form factor allows for increased drive counts per chassis while the 12Gbps SAS interface provides a robust, point-to-point connection suitable for modern HPE servers and SAN ecosystems.

Key Technical Highlights and What They Mean for Your Data Center

The 1.2TB capacity of the HPE 862431-B21 makes it a strategic choice for storage tiers that require a compromise between capacity and performance density. With a 10,000 RPM spindle speed, the drive delivers lower seek latency compared with typical 7.2K drives, which translates to improved random I/O response times. The SAS 12Gbps interface ensures that the drive can sustain higher throughput peaks and is compatible with enterprise controllers that support SAS signaling at full link speeds. In 2.5 inch SFF enclosures, this model helps increase IOPS per rack unit and therefore can reduce overall rack footprint for a given performance target.

Performance Characteristics: Latency, IOPS and Throughput

When deployed in arrays and RAID groups, the HPE 862431-B21 is intended to deliver consistent, predictable performance for random read/write patterns typical of multi-tenant virtualized servers and transactional databases. The 10K RPM spindle contributes to lower average latency, while firmware optimizations common to enterprise-class drives improve command queuing and error recovery behavior. For workloads that favor faster random I/O rather than sheer sequential throughput, a 10K SAS drive like the 862431-B21 often outperforms larger-capacity 7.2K drives on latency-sensitive transactions, which is particularly important for OLTP databases, hypervisor boot volumes, and application logs.

Mixed Workload Suitability

This drive is well-suited for mixed workload profiles, where read and write I/O patterns vary and where consistency of response time is critical. In tiered storage environments it typically occupies a mid-performance tier—faster than nearline HDDs and cost-effective when compared to all-flash tiers for larger working data sets. Because it supports SAS 12Gbps, it integrates smoothly into SANs and server backplanes that are designed to leverage higher link speeds and robust enterprise features such as full-duplex communication and multi-pathing.

Capacity Planning and Density Advantages

Choosing the HPE 862431-B21 for a rack or blade density project can significantly influence capacity planning. The 2.5 inch form factor allows data center architects to populate more drives per chassis. This higher drive density can reduce the number of chassis and racks required for a given overall capacity goal, while the 1.2TB per-drive size offers a favorable cost-per-gigabyte for mid-tier performance workloads. For organizations optimizing space and power, 2.5 inch 10K drives often represent a pragmatic middle ground between high-capacity 3.5 inch nearline drives and high-cost NVMe flash.

Scalability Considerations

When planning large arrays of 862431-B21 drives, attention to RAID level selection, controller cache sizing, and rebuild strategies becomes critical. RAID configurations that spread parity across multiple spindles can mitigate degraded-mode performance impacts during rebuilds, while intelligent caching at the controller level can absorb short-term write bursts and improve perceived responsiveness. Properly architected, a pool of 1.2TB 10K SAS drives can scale to accommodate substantial usable capacity while preserving predictable performance.

Reliability, Enterprise Features and Firmware Behavior

Enterprise-class drives such as the HPE 862431-B21 are typically manufactured to higher tolerance and quality-control standards than consumer drives, with firmware tuned for data center workloads. Key enterprise characteristics include advanced error handling, power-loss protection strategies (depending on model configuration), and rotational vibration mitigation for multi-drive enclosures. These drives are intended for 24/7 operation and for duty cycles consistent with server and SAN deployment, where consistent uptime and drive behavior under continuous load are expectations.

Sensoring and Monitoring

Integrated telemetry and SMART attributes enable administrators to monitor drive health and plan for predictive replacements. Monitoring tools that integrate with HPE firmware and management consoles can read drive-specific telemetry to track parameters such as temperature, reallocated sectors, and error rates. Proactive monitoring of these signals helps reduce unexpected downtime by triggering maintenance workflows before a drive reaches failure thresholds.

Compatibility and Integration with HPE Systems

The HPE 862431-B21 is designed to match the mechanical, electrical, and firmware expectations of modern HPE ProLiant servers, HPE storage enclosures, and compatible server arrays. Its 2.5 inch SFF size fits directly into HPE sled and tray designs, maintaining backplane alignment and hot-swap capability. Compatibility with HPE Smart Array controllers and similar enterprise RAID controllers ensures that advanced features like hot-spare assignment, RAID reconstruction, and intermixing with certified drive types can be implemented according to platform best practices.

Hot-Swap and Serviceability

Hot-swap capability is one of the practical benefits in many enterprise environments. The ability to remove and replace a failed drive without powering down the server preserves uptime and simplifies maintenance workflows. HPE-compatible caddies and carriers are engineered to provide secure mechanical mounting, proper air flow, and reliable electrical mating with backplane connectors.

Thermal Management and Power Efficiency

Because dense server and storage deployments confer cumulative heat generation, the thermal profile of each drive affects overall cooling strategy. Enterprise 2.5 inch drives are designed to operate within specified temperature ranges and often include firmware-level thermal throttling behavior to protect data integrity under extreme conditions. Power efficiency at higher spindle speeds is an important consideration; while 10K drives consume more power than slower-spinning nearline drives, their improved performance-per-watt for transactional workloads can make them more efficient when measured against the energy cost of running larger numbers of slower drives to achieve equivalent IOPS.

Airflow and Rack-Level Considerations

Proper airflow management at the chassis and rack level is essential to maintain drive longevity. When populating enclosures with multiple 10K drives, ensure that blanking panels, directed airflow baffles, and rated rack cooling are in place to prevent hot spots. Firmware-controlled thermal reporting should be integrated into data center monitoring to correlate drive temperatures with ambient conditions and to trigger corrective actions when necessary.

Data Protection Strategies and RAID Best Practices

Using the HPE 862431-B21 in RAID arrays demands careful selection of RAID levels based on desired trade-offs between performance, capacity, and resilience. RAID 10 often provides superior write performance and quicker rebuild times for latency-sensitive applications but at the cost of capacity efficiency. RAID 6 delivers higher fault tolerance for large arrays but introduces write penalty overhead. Combining the 1.2TB 10K drives with adaptive RAID settings and controller-level caching can help optimize both performance and protection. Backups and replication strategies should complement RAID-level redundancy to protect against data corruption and site-level failures.

Rebuild Impact and Predictability

Drive rebuilds can be an extended process in large-capacity arrays; however, the moderate capacity of 1.2TB reduces rebuild window duration compared with multi-terabyte nearline drives, which helps minimize exposure during degraded states. Predictable rebuild performance is a key advantage when maintaining service levels, and careful RAID group sizing—balancing the number of spindles per group—can attenuate the time required to restore redundancy in the event of a failure.