HUS726T6TAL5204 WD Ultrastar DC HC310 6TB 7.2K RPM SAS 12GBPS 512e SE LFF HDD

WD DC HC310 6TB LFF HDD

The WD HUS726T6TAL5204 Ultrastar DC HC310 6TB 7.2K RPM SAS 12Gbps 512e SE LFF HDD is a high-capacity enterprise hard drive engineered for reliability, scalability, and performance. Designed for demanding workloads, it is ideal for data centers, distributed storage, and big data environments.

General Information

• Brand: Western Digital
• Model Number: HUS726T6TAL5204
• Category: Ultrastar DC HC310 6TB Enterprise Hard Drive

Technical Specifications

Storage & Interface

• Capacity: 6TB
• Interface: SAS 12GBPS
• Form Factor: 3.5-inch Large Form Factor
• Load/Unload Cycles: 600,000
• MTBF: 2 million hours

Performance Metrics

• Maximum Interface Transfer Rate: 1200 Mbps
• Sustained Transfer Rate: 255 Mbps (typical)
• Rotational Speed: 7200 RPM
• Buffer Size: 256 MB
• Average Latency: 4.16 ms
• Seek Time: 8.0 ms (read), 8.6 ms (write)

Applications & Environments

Big Data & Analytics

• Distributed file systems such as Apache Hadoop®
• Optimized for large-scale data processing

Storage Solutions

• Direct Attached Storage (DAS)
• Network Attached Storage (NAS)
• RAID arrays for redundancy and performance

Legacy Compatibility

• Supports applications requiring 512n format (4TB)

Physical Specifications

• Z-Height: 26.1 mm
• Dimensions (W x D): 101.6 (+/-0.25) x 147 mm
• Weight: 715 g (typical)

Enterprise-Class SAS HDD Category for Mission-Critical Storage

The Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC310 6TB SAS hard drive belongs to a specialized enterprise storage category designed to support data-intensive workloads, continuous operation environments, and mission-critical applications. This category focuses on high-capacity, high-reliability 3.5-inch internal hard disk drives that utilize the Serial Attached SCSI interface for consistent throughput, enhanced command queuing, and superior error recovery compared to desktop-class storage solutions. Drives within this segment are engineered to operate in data centers, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise servers where uptime, predictable latency, and long-term durability are non-negotiable requirements.

The SAS hard drive category emphasizes performance stability under sustained workloads rather than burst-oriented consumer usage. The Ultrastar DC HC310 exemplifies this approach by integrating enterprise firmware, rotational vibration tolerance, and advanced caching technologies to ensure consistent data delivery even in densely populated storage enclosures. With its 6TB capacity and 7200RPM spindle speed, this drive category balances storage density with dependable performance for transactional databases, virtualized environments, and large-scale file repositories.

Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC310 Series Positioning

The Ultrastar DC HC310 series represents Western Digital’s commitment to enterprise-grade magnetic storage that aligns with modern data center requirements. This category bridges the gap between high-capacity nearline storage and performance-focused enterprise HDDs by offering optimized cost-per-terabyte without sacrificing SAS interface benefits. The 6TB model is particularly well-suited for organizations seeking scalable storage that can grow alongside expanding datasets while maintaining predictable performance characteristics.

Within the enterprise HDD landscape, this category is defined by strict qualification standards, extended lifecycle availability, and compatibility with industry-standard server and storage platforms. Western Digital designs the HC310 line to integrate seamlessly into RAID arrays, software-defined storage environments, and hyperscale architectures where consistent behavior across thousands of drives is critical for operational efficiency.

Serial Attached SCSI Interface Advantages

The SAS 12Gbps interface is a defining attribute of this category, offering full-duplex communication and robust command handling that surpasses SATA-based alternatives. Drives like the Ultrastar DC HC310 leverage the SAS protocol to support multiple initiators, advanced error reporting, and enhanced data integrity features. These characteristics make the category ideal for enterprise systems that demand continuous access to shared storage resources without performance degradation.

The 12Gbps bandwidth ensures that the drive can deliver sustained data transfer rates suitable for sequential and random workloads alike. This interface also supports dual-port connectivity, a feature commonly utilized in redundant storage architectures to maintain access paths during controller or cable failures. As a result, the category aligns with high-availability requirements found in enterprise and cloud data centers.

7200RPM Performance Profile

Hard drives in this category typically operate at 7200 revolutions per minute, providing an optimal balance between performance, power efficiency, and mechanical longevity. The Ultrastar DC HC310’s rotational speed enables faster access times compared to lower-RPM nearline drives while maintaining thermal and acoustic characteristics suitable for large-scale deployments. This performance profile supports mixed workloads, including read-heavy analytics, virtualization, and transactional processing.

The consistent spindle speed contributes to predictable latency, an essential factor in enterprise environments where application performance depends on stable storage response times. By maintaining this balance, the category ensures that organizations can deploy large storage pools without introducing variability that could affect service-level agreements.

High-Capacity 6TB Storage Density

The 6TB capacity point represents a strategic sweet spot within the enterprise HDD category. It provides substantial storage density for scaling data repositories while maintaining manageable rebuild times in RAID configurations. The Ultrastar DC HC310 utilizes advanced areal density techniques to maximize capacity within a standard 3.5-inch form factor, enabling efficient use of rack space in data centers.

This capacity level is particularly advantageous for organizations consolidating legacy storage systems or expanding data lakes. By deploying higher-capacity drives, enterprises can reduce the number of physical disks required, lowering power consumption, cooling demands, and overall infrastructure complexity while preserving enterprise-class reliability.

512e Sector Format Compatibility

The 512e sector format is a key compatibility feature within this category, allowing the drive to emulate traditional 512-byte sectors while using larger internal physical sectors for improved efficiency. This approach ensures broad compatibility with existing operating systems, applications, and storage controllers that may not fully support native 4K sector formats.

By offering 512e support, the Ultrastar DC HC310 category enables smoother transitions during storage upgrades and migrations. Enterprises can integrate these drives into established environments without extensive reconfiguration, preserving operational continuity while benefiting from modern HDD architecture improvements.

256MB Buffer for Optimized Data Handling

The inclusion of a 256MB cache buffer enhances the drive’s ability to manage data flow efficiently under varying workload conditions. This buffer temporarily stores frequently accessed data and write operations, reducing latency and improving throughput during peak activity. Within this category, large cache sizes are essential for maintaining performance consistency in multi-user and multi-application environments.

The buffer also plays a role in optimizing command queuing and write coalescing, allowing the drive firmware to intelligently schedule operations for maximum efficiency. This capability is particularly valuable in enterprise scenarios where workloads can shift rapidly between sequential and random access patterns.

Reliability and Enterprise Workload Endurance

Reliability is a defining characteristic of the Ultrastar DC HC310 category, with design parameters tailored for 24x7 operation and heavy workload demands. These drives are engineered to handle high annualized workload ratings, making them suitable for continuous data processing, backup operations, and archival tasks. Western Digital’s enterprise firmware and mechanical design focus on minimizing failure rates and ensuring long service life.

The category emphasizes robust error recovery mechanisms that prioritize data integrity over speed in the event of read or write anomalies. This behavior is essential in RAID and distributed storage systems, where aggressive error handling can lead to drive dropouts and unnecessary rebuilds. By maintaining controlled error recovery, the Ultrastar DC HC310 supports stable array operation and reduces administrative overhead.

Rotational Vibration Safeguards

In densely populated storage enclosures, rotational vibration can significantly impact drive performance and longevity. The Ultrastar DC HC310 category incorporates vibration tolerance technologies that mitigate the effects of external and internal vibrations. These safeguards ensure consistent performance even when multiple drives operate simultaneously in close proximity.

This vibration resilience is critical for enterprise deployments that rely on high-density storage shelves. By maintaining accurate head positioning and stable rotation, the drive category delivers reliable data access and reduces the risk of performance degradation over time.

Secure and Stable Firmware Architecture

Enterprise-class firmware is a cornerstone of this category, providing predictable behavior across diverse workloads and environments. The Ultrastar DC HC310 firmware undergoes extensive validation to ensure compatibility with leading server platforms and storage controllers. This stability minimizes the risk of firmware-related issues that could disrupt operations.

Secure firmware design also supports data protection initiatives by reducing exposure to vulnerabilities and ensuring controlled update processes. For organizations managing large fleets of drives, consistent firmware behavior simplifies maintenance and enhances overall system reliability.

3.5-Inch Form Factor for Data Center Integration

The standard 3.5-inch form factor remains a cornerstone of enterprise storage infrastructure, offering an optimal balance between capacity, performance, and cost efficiency. The Ultrastar DC HC310 fits seamlessly into existing server bays and storage enclosures designed for large-format drives. This compatibility simplifies deployment and allows organizations to leverage existing hardware investments.

The mechanical design of this form factor supports effective heat dissipation, an important consideration in high-density environments. By maintaining stable operating temperatures, the drive category contributes to long-term reliability and consistent performance under sustained workloads.

Compatibility with RAID and Software-Defined Storage

Drives in this category are engineered to function reliably within RAID arrays and software-defined storage platforms. The Ultrastar DC HC310 supports predictable error handling and consistent performance characteristics that align with the requirements of parity-based and mirrored configurations. This reliability is essential for maintaining data availability and minimizing rebuild times.

Software-defined storage solutions benefit from the drive’s consistent latency and throughput, enabling efficient resource allocation and workload balancing. As organizations increasingly adopt flexible storage architectures, this category provides a dependable foundation for scalable data management.

Use Cases Across Enterprise and Cloud Environments

The Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC310 6TB SAS hard drive category serves a wide range of enterprise and cloud use cases. It is well-suited for data warehousing, backup and recovery systems, content repositories, and virtualization platforms that require dependable storage performance. The combination of capacity, reliability, and SAS connectivity makes it a versatile choice for both primary and secondary storage tiers.

In cloud infrastructure, this category supports multi-tenant environments where consistent performance and fault tolerance are critical. The drive’s design enables service providers to deliver reliable storage services while optimizing operational costs and infrastructure efficiency.

Energy Efficiency and Operational Optimization

While performance and reliability are primary drivers, energy efficiency remains an important aspect of the Ultrastar DC HC310 category. The drive is engineered to deliver optimal performance per watt, helping organizations manage power consumption and cooling costs in large-scale deployments. Efficient power management contributes to lower total cost of ownership over the drive’s operational lifespan.

By combining energy-efficient design with high storage density, this category supports sustainable data center initiatives without sacrificing enterprise-grade performance or reliability.

Alignment with Modern Enterprise Storage Strategies

The Ultrastar DC HC310 6TB SAS hard drive category aligns with modern enterprise storage strategies that prioritize resilience, scalability, and cost efficiency. As data volumes continue to grow, organizations require storage solutions that can adapt to evolving demands while maintaining consistent performance. This category provides a dependable foundation for hybrid storage architectures that integrate HDDs with solid-state technologies.

Through its combination of SAS connectivity, enterprise firmware, and robust mechanical design, the Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC310 category remains a critical component of enterprise storage ecosystems focused on long-term stability and operational excellence.