3X6103-886 Seagate 20TB 7200RPM EXOS 3.5Inch SATA 6GB/s CMR HDD

Seagate 3X6103-886 20TB Enterprise HDD

Enterprise-Grade Storage

The Seagate Exos X20 3X6103-886 represents the pinnacle of high-capacity enterprise hard drive technology, delivering 20TB of reliable storage in a 3.5-inch form factor. Designed for data centers, cloud storage providers, and enterprise environments requiring massive storage density, this drive combines Seagate's industry-leading helium technology with advanced firmware optimizations for exceptional performance and reliability. The specific model 3X6103-886 identifies this as a 20TB capacity drive within Seagate's Exos X20 series. This part number ensures compatibility with enterprise storage systems, servers, and storage arrays that require SATA 6Gb/s interface connectivity. The drive maintains backward compatibility with previous SATA generations while maximizing performance on modern SATA III interfaces.

HelioSeal Technology Implementation

Seagate's proprietary HelioSeal technology forms the foundation of the Exos X20's high-capacity design. By sealing the drive with helium instead of air, Seagate reduces mechanical drag and turbulence, enabling the installation of more platters within the same 3.5-inch form factor. This technology not only increases storage capacity but also improves power efficiency and thermal characteristics, crucial for dense storage environments.

Benefits of Helium-Filled Design

The helium-filled environment provides multiple advantages over traditional air-filled drives. Reduced friction allows platters to spin with less resistance, decreasing power consumption by approximately 20% compared to air-filled alternatives. The lower density of helium creates less turbulence, resulting in quieter operation and reduced vibration—critical factors in multi-drive configurations where vibration can impact overall system performance and drive longevity.

CMR Recording Technology

The 3X6103-886 Exos X20 utilizes Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) technology, ensuring consistent performance and compatibility with enterprise workloads. Unlike Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) drives that can suffer from performance degradation during write operations, CMR maintains predictable performance characteristics essential for RAID configurations, database applications, and other write-intensive enterprise scenarios.

Performance Advantages of CMR

CMR technology allows each data track to be written independently without overlapping adjacent tracks. This design eliminates the need for complex read-modify-write operations required by SMR drives, providing sustained write performance that doesn't degrade over time. For enterprise applications requiring consistent I/O performance, CMR ensures that the drive maintains its rated speed regardless of workload patterns or data fragmentation.

Performance Specifications

Rotational Speed and Transfer Rates

Operating at 7200 RPM, the Exos X20 delivers enterprise-class performance with sustained data transfer rates optimized for high-capacity storage applications. The combination of high areal density and rotational speed enables rapid access to data across the entire 20TB capacity, making it suitable for both sequential and random access workloads common in modern data centers.

SATA 6Gb/s Interface Performance

The 3X6103-886 SATA 6Gb/s interface provides maximum theoretical transfer speeds of 600MB/s, which the Exos X20 leverages effectively through its advanced caching algorithms and high platter density. While the interface is compatible with SAS environments through interposers, the native SATA implementation ensures broad compatibility with existing server and storage infrastructure without requiring specialized hardware.

Cache Configuration and Performance

Equipped with a substantial cache buffer, the Exos X20 optimizes data flow between the host system and drive platters. The cache implementation includes advanced algorithms for read-ahead and write caching, improving performance for both sequential and random I/O patterns. The drive's firmware manages cache allocation dynamically based on workload characteristics, ensuring optimal performance across diverse enterprise applications.

Reliability and Endurance Metrics

MTBF and Annualized Failure Rate

Seagate rates the Exos X20 for 2.5 million hours Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), reflecting the drive's enterprise-grade construction and design longevity. This translates to an annualized failure rate (AFR) of 0.35%, providing data center operators with predictable reliability for capacity planning and maintenance scheduling. These reliability figures are validated through extensive testing under enterprise workload conditions.

Workload Rate Limit Specifications

The drive is rated for 550TB annual workload, representing the amount of data that can be written to the drive per year over its warranty period while maintaining specified reliability metrics. This workload rating exceeds typical enterprise storage requirements, providing headroom for demanding applications and ensuring the drive can handle intensive operations without compromising longevity or data integrity.

Error Recovery and Data Integrity

Advanced error correction and recovery mechanisms protect data integrity across the 20TB capacity. The drive implements sophisticated algorithms to detect and correct errors, with multiple layers of protection including end-to-end data path protection that verifies data integrity from the host interface through the cache to the recording media. These features ensure data remains consistent throughout the storage pipeline.

Physical Specifications

Form Factor and Mounting

The standard 3.5-inch form factor with SATA power and data connectors ensures compatibility with enterprise servers, storage arrays, and enclosure systems. The drive conforms to industry-standard dimensions and mounting hole patterns, facilitating easy integration into existing infrastructure. The design includes vibration tolerance features essential for multi-drive implementations where mechanical resonance can impact performance.

Power Consumption Characteristics

Power efficiency is a critical consideration in data center environments, and the Exos X20 delivers exceptional performance per watt. Typical operational power consumption remains low due to the helium-filled design and optimized electronics. The drive supports advanced power management features including multiple power states that can be leveraged by host systems to reduce energy consumption during periods of reduced activity.

Acoustics and Thermal Performance

The helium-sealed design not only improves performance but also reduces operational noise compared to air-filled drives of similar capacity. Typical sound levels during seek operations remain within enterprise-acceptable ranges, important for open-rack deployments. Thermal characteristics are similarly optimized, with efficient heat dissipation maintaining safe operating temperatures even in high-density storage configurations with limited airflow.

Environmental Operating Ranges

Temperature and Humidity Tolerance

Rated for continuous operation in standard data center environments, the Exos X20 supports operational temperatures from 5°C to 60°C with appropriate airflow. Non-operating temperature range extends from -40°C to 70°C, ensuring resilience during transportation and storage. Humidity tolerance spans from 5% to 95% non-condensing, accommodating various data center environmental conditions without compromising reliability.

Altitude and Shock Resistance

The drive maintains specified performance and reliability at altitudes up to 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) during operation and 12,000 meters (40,000 feet) during non-operation. Shock resistance ratings ensure data integrity during handling and operation, with operational shock tolerance protecting against minor impacts during service while non-operational shock tolerance safeguards the drive during transportation and installation.

RAID Optimization Features

Firmware optimizations specifically enhance performance in RAID environments, including improved error recovery controls that prevent drive dropouts in multi-drive configurations. Time Limited Error Recovery (TLER) ensures the drive responds appropriately to correctable errors without causing RAID controller timeouts. These features maintain array stability and data availability in mission-critical storage deployments.

Security and Data Protection

Encryption Capabilities

The 3X6103-886 Exos X20 supports comprehensive data security through optional hardware-based encryption. Utilizing industry-standard AES-256 encryption, the drive can protect data at rest without significant performance impact. The encryption implementation includes cryptographic erase capabilities that allow rapid repurposing of drives by rendering previous data unreadable through key destruction rather than physical overwriting.

Sanitization and Secure Erase

For end-of-life disposal or repurposing, the drive supports multiple sanitization methods including crypto-scramble (instant secure erase), overwrite, and block erase options. These features ensure compliance with data protection regulations and corporate security policies by permanently removing sensitive data from the storage media. The sanitization processes are validated to meet industry standards for data destruction effectiveness.

Application and Use Case Scenarios

Data Center Deployment

The 3X6103-886 20TB capacity makes the Exos X20 ideal for cloud storage providers seeking to maximize storage density within fixed physical footprints. The combination of high capacity, power efficiency, and reliability supports cost-effective scaling of cloud storage services while maintaining performance service level agreements. The drive's workload rating ensures it can handle the mixed read/write patterns typical of cloud storage environments.

Big Data and Analytics Workloads

For big data applications involving large-scale data processing and analytics, the Exos X20 provides the capacity needed for massive datasets while delivering the sustained transfer rates required for efficient data processing. The CMR architecture ensures consistent performance during data ingestion and processing operations, preventing bottlenecks in analytical workflows that involve sequential data access patterns.

Enterprise Storage Applications

Network Attached Storage Systems

In NAS environments, the Exos X20 delivers the capacity and reliability required for centralized data storage serving multiple users and applications. The drive's vibration tolerance ensures stable operation in multi-bay NAS enclosures, while the high capacity enables extensive data retention for backup, archival, and collaborative work environments. Compatibility with major NAS platforms makes integration straightforward.

Video Surveillance Storage

The constant write-intensive nature of video surveillance systems demands drives capable of sustained recording performance. The Exos X20's CMR technology and high workload rating make it suitable for multi-camera surveillance installations requiring continuous recording and extended retention periods. The drive maintains consistent performance even during simultaneous recording and playback operations.

Storage Array Compatibility

Compatibility with major storage array platforms from manufacturers including Dell EMC, HPE, NetApp, and others ensures the Exos X20 can be deployed in diverse enterprise storage environments. The drive's standard SATA interface and enterprise feature set facilitate integration with storage systems designed for high-capacity drives, with firmware optimizations ensuring optimal performance in array configurations.