0B40483 Western Digital Ultrastar DC SS530 1.6TB SAS TLC Nand Ise SFF Solid State Drive

Overview of the 1.6TB Solid State Drive

The Western Digital 0B40483 Ultrastar DC SS530 1.6TB SAS TLC NAND ISE 2.5-inch SFF Solid State Drive belongs to a specialized category of enterprise-grade storage solutions engineered for mission-critical data center environments. This category focuses on high-reliability SAS-based solid state drives designed to deliver consistent performance, predictable latency, and robust endurance under sustained workloads. Unlike consumer-oriented storage, enterprise SAS SSDs emphasize data integrity, service continuity, and compatibility with server and storage array infrastructures used across large-scale IT deployments.

Details Information

• Manufacturer: Western Digital
• Model Reference: 0B40483
• Storage Category: Enterprise Solid State Drive

Hardware and Interface Specification

• Total Capacity: 1.6TB enterprise storage
• Interface Type: SAS operating at 12Gb/s
• Physical Size: 2.5-inch Small Form Factor
• Drive Thickness: 15mm profile
• NAND Technology: 3D TLC flash memory
• Mean Time Between Failures: 2.5 million hours
• Product Line: Ultrastar DC SS530
• Drive Designation: Enterprise SSD Solution

Performance Capabilities

• Maximum Sequential Read (128KB): Up to 2150 MB/s
• Maximum Sequential Write (128KB): Up to 2120 MB/s

Random I/O Performance

• 4KB Random Read: Up to 440,000 IOPS
• 4KB Random Write: Up to 240,000 IOPS
• Mixed Random Workload (70% Read / 30% Write): Up to 330,000 IOPS

Enterprise SAS Solid State Drive

SAS SSDs in this category are purpose-built for always-on environments where uptime, fault tolerance, and data security are mandatory requirements. They integrate seamlessly into enterprise backplanes and RAID configurations, supporting advanced features such as dual-port connectivity, error correction, and firmware-level optimizations. The Ultrastar DC SS530 series reflects this design philosophy by prioritizing stability and longevity, making it suitable for environments where storage failures can translate directly into operational risk.

Positioning Within the Ultrastar Data Center

The Ultrastar DC SS530 line represents Western Digital’s approach to balancing performance, capacity, and endurance within the SAS SSD market segment. This category sits between high-end write-intensive SSDs and capacity-optimized drives, providing a versatile solution capable of supporting mixed workloads. The 1.6TB capacity variant exemplifies the scalability offered within the category, allowing data center architects to standardize on a single drive family while tailoring capacity to workload demands.

As part of the broader Ultrastar data center ecosystem, this category benefits from a design heritage rooted in enterprise HDD and SSD innovation. The focus remains on predictable behavior under load, long operational lifecycles, and compatibility with established enterprise storage management tools.

Serial Attached SCSI Interface Advantages

SAS connectivity remains a cornerstone of enterprise storage architectures due to its reliability, scalability, and support for dual-porting. Drives within this category leverage the SAS interface to enable redundant data paths, which enhances fault tolerance in high-availability systems. Dual-port capability allows the SSD to maintain connectivity even if one path fails, a critical requirement for enterprise storage arrays and clustered server environments.

The SAS protocol also supports advanced command queuing and robust error handling, ensuring consistent performance during simultaneous read and write operations. These characteristics distinguish SAS SSDs from SATA-based alternatives, particularly in multi-user and multi-threaded workloads.

Compatibility with Existing Infrastructure

Another defining feature of this category is its backward compatibility with existing SAS infrastructure. Enterprises can integrate drives like the Ultrastar DC SS530 into current server platforms without requiring significant hardware changes. This compatibility reduces deployment complexity and preserves investments in SAS-based backplanes and controllers.

TLC NAND Technology in Enterprise

Triple-Level Cell (TLC) NAND technology plays a central role in this category by offering an effective balance between cost efficiency and performance. In enterprise-grade implementations, TLC NAND is paired with advanced controllers, firmware algorithms, and error correction mechanisms that mitigate wear and ensure data integrity. The result is a storage solution capable of handling demanding workloads while maintaining predictable performance over time.

The Ultrastar DC SS530 category leverages enterprise-validated TLC NAND to deliver consistent throughput and endurance suitable for read-intensive and mixed-use scenarios. This approach allows organizations to deploy solid state storage at scale without compromising reliability.

Instant Secure Erase and Data Protection

Data security is an integral aspect of enterprise SSD categories, and the inclusion of Instant Secure Erase (ISE) functionality underscores this commitment. ISE enables rapid and reliable data sanitization, ensuring that sensitive information is permanently removed when drives are repurposed or decommissioned. This capability is essential for organizations that must adhere to strict data protection and compliance standards.

By integrating secure erase at the hardware level, this category minimizes the time and complexity associated with traditional data wiping methods. It also reduces the risk of data leakage, which is a critical consideration in regulated industries.

Compliance and Governance Support

Enterprise storage categories that include ISE functionality support broader compliance initiatives by simplifying adherence to data governance policies. Secure erase features align with internal IT policies and external regulatory frameworks, providing confidence that data lifecycle management requirements are met.

Performance Characteristics and Consistency

Performance within this category is defined not only by peak throughput but also by consistency under sustained load. Enterprise workloads often involve continuous access patterns, and storage solutions must maintain low latency and stable response times. The Ultrastar DC SS530 category is engineered to deliver predictable performance across a wide range of applications, reducing the likelihood of bottlenecks during peak usage.

Advanced firmware optimizations and controller technologies work together to manage wear leveling, garbage collection, and error correction without disrupting active workloads. This focus on performance stability makes the category well-suited for transactional systems, virtualized environments, and shared storage platforms.

2.5-Inch Small Form Factor Integration

The 2.5-inch small form factor (SFF) is a standard within enterprise storage categories due to its space efficiency and versatility. Drives in this form factor allow data centers to maximize storage density while maintaining adequate airflow and thermal management. The Ultrastar DC SS530 1.6TB drive aligns with this standard, enabling straightforward integration into high-density server and storage chassis.

Smaller form factors also contribute to improved energy efficiency by reducing the physical footprint and enabling more effective cooling strategies. This aligns with modern data center objectives focused on optimizing space utilization and operational efficiency.

Hot-Swap and Serviceability

Enterprise SFF drives are designed to support hot-swap functionality, allowing technicians to replace or upgrade drives without powering down systems. This capability is critical for maintaining uptime in production environments. The category emphasizes ease of serviceability, ensuring that routine maintenance does not disrupt business operations.

Reliability Engineering and Endurance

Reliability is a defining attribute of enterprise SSD categories. Drives such as the Ultrastar DC SS530 are subjected to rigorous validation and testing processes to ensure they can withstand continuous operation. This includes thermal testing, endurance validation, and stress testing under simulated data center workloads.

The category’s emphasis on reliability extends to firmware design, which incorporates advanced error detection and correction techniques. These measures help protect data integrity and extend the usable lifespan of the drive, contributing to lower total cost of ownership.

Quality of Service and Latency Management

Quality of Service (QoS) is a critical metric in enterprise storage categories, reflecting the drive’s ability to deliver consistent latency across operations. The Ultrastar DC SS530 category prioritizes QoS by minimizing latency variability, even during periods of heavy access. This predictability is essential for applications that rely on steady response times, such as databases and virtual desktop infrastructures.

By managing internal processes efficiently, these drives reduce performance jitter and ensure that critical workloads receive the resources they require.

Use Cases Across Enterprise Workloads

Virtualized environments demand storage solutions capable of handling concurrent access from multiple virtual machines. The enterprise SAS SSD category supports these requirements by offering high concurrency and stable performance. The Ultrastar DC SS530 is well-suited for private cloud deployments, hyperconverged infrastructure, and virtual desktop solutions.

Database and Transactional Systems

Databases require storage with low latency and high reliability to support transactional integrity. Drives in this category provide the consistent performance necessary for relational and non-relational database platforms, ensuring responsive query execution and dependable data storage.

Analytics and Content Delivery

Data analytics and content delivery platforms benefit from the read-optimized characteristics of this category. High throughput and rapid access to stored data enable efficient processing of large datasets and timely delivery of digital content.

RAID Compatibility and Redundancy

Enterprise SSD categories are designed with RAID compatibility in mind, enabling organizations to build resilient storage architectures. The Ultrastar DC SS530 integrates smoothly into RAID arrays, supporting various redundancy levels that protect against data loss. SAS dual-porting further enhances redundancy by maintaining connectivity across multiple paths.

Firmware stability and upgradability are essential components of enterprise storage categories. Drives are supported by firmware designed for long-term deployment, with updates that address performance optimizations, security enhancements, and compatibility improvements. This ensures that storage infrastructure can evolve alongside changing application requirements.

Environmental and Operational Considerations

Enterprise SSD categories account for environmental factors such as operating temperature ranges and power efficiency. Efficient power usage contributes to reduced cooling requirements and lower operational costs. The 2.5-inch SAS SSD form factor supports effective thermal management, which is critical in densely populated server racks.

While enterprise SAS SSDs represent a higher initial investment compared to consumer storage, the category delivers significant total cost of ownership advantages. Reliability, endurance, and reduced downtime contribute to long-term savings. The Ultrastar DC SS530 category exemplifies this value proposition by combining dependable performance with enterprise-grade support.

Scalability and Future-Proofing

Scalability is a core consideration within this category. As data volumes grow, organizations require storage solutions that can expand without disrupting operations. The Ultrastar DC SS530 1.6TB SAS SSD supports scalable architectures by integrating seamlessly into existing environments and accommodating future capacity expansions.

Industry Applications and Deployment Scenarios

This category is widely adopted across industries such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and media. Each of these sectors relies on secure, high-performance storage to support critical applications. The Ultrastar DC SS530 fits into diverse deployment scenarios, from centralized data centers to edge computing environments where reliability and consistency are paramount.

Through Proven Design

Enterprise customers selecting from this category benefit from a proven design approach that emphasizes quality, predictability, and supportability. The Ultrastar DC SS530 reflects the characteristics that define enterprise SAS SSDs: dependable performance, robust security features, and compatibility with demanding infrastructure requirements.