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Introduction to the HPE 600GB Fibre Channel-AL Hard Drive

The HPE 600GB 15000RPM 2.5-inch Small Form Factor (SFF) Dual Port 2/4Gbps Fibre Channel-Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) Hot-Swap Hard Drive represents a pinnacle of legacy enterprise storage technology from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). Specifically engineered for the HPE StorageWorks M6412A Enclosures and the HPE Enterprise Virtual Array (EVA) 4400, 6400, and 8400 systems, this drive combines high-speed performance, robust reliability, and seamless integration to support demanding data-intensive operations. As a hot-swap solution, it allows for maintenance without system downtime, making it invaluable in mission-critical environments. This article delves into the drive’s technical specifications, key features, compatibility details, use cases, benefits, and more, offering IT professionals and storage administrators a thorough resource for understanding this powerful component.

Technical Specifications

Capacity and Form Factor

Boasting a 600GB storage capacity, the HPE 600GB FC-AL Hard Drive is optimized for environments needing substantial yet efficient data storage. Its 2.5-inch Small Form Factor (SFF) design promotes dense packing in storage arrays, enabling data centers to achieve greater capacity per rack unit compared to larger 3.5-inch alternatives. This compact footprint is particularly advantageous in space-limited setups.

Spindle Speed and Performance

Operating at an impressive 15,000 RPM spindle speed, the drive delivers low-latency access and high throughput, essential for performance-sensitive applications. This rapid rotation minimizes seek times and boosts IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second), making it suitable for workloads like high-transaction databases and real-time analytics.

Interface and Data Transfer Rate

Equipped with a Dual Port Fibre Channel-Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) interface, the drive supports data transfer rates of up to 4Gbps (with backward compatibility to 2Gbps). The dual-port architecture provides path redundancy and load balancing, ensuring data availability even if one connection path encounters issues.

Physical Dimensions and Additional Specs

The drive measures 4.30 inches in width, 7.40 inches in depth, and 1.10 inches in height, with a weight of approximately 21.9 ounces. As a hot-swap drive, it features an external data transfer rate of 2/4Gbps, enhancing its suitability for dynamic enterprise storage ecosystems.

Part Numbers and Variants

Key part numbers associated with this drive include AP751B (option part), 495808-001 (spare part), 495277-006 (assembly part), and BF600DASTL (model). These identifiers help in procurement and replacement, with variations often denoting refurbished or specific configurations.

Key Features

High-Performance Enterprise Optimization

The 15,000 RPM speed paired with the FC-AL interface excels in handling intensive workloads, including online transaction processing (OLTP), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and data warehousing. This configuration reduces bottlenecks, providing consistent performance under heavy loads.

Dual-Port Redundancy and Fault Tolerance

The dual-port design connects to two independent Fibre Channel paths, offering built-in redundancy. In the event of a port or cable failure, the system automatically failover to the secondary path, maintaining uninterrupted data flow and minimizing risks in high-availability setups.

Hot-Swap Functionality for Minimal Downtime

As a hot-swap drive, it can be installed, removed, or replaced while the host system remains operational. This feature is crucial for enterprise environments where downtime equates to financial loss, allowing for proactive maintenance and rapid recovery.

Compact SFF Design for Density

The 2.5-inch SFF form factor maximizes storage density in the M6412A enclosures and EVA arrays, supporting up to higher drive counts per enclosure. This efficiency aids in scaling storage without proportional increases in physical space or power consumption.

Compatibility with HPE Systems

StorageWorks M6412A Enclosures

The HPE StorageWorks M6412A is a high-density drive enclosure designed for EVA series integration, offering scalable storage expansion. The 600GB FC-AL Hard Drive is natively compatible, slotting directly into the enclosure’s bays to enhance overall array capacity and performance.

EVA 4400/6400/8400 Arrays

The EVA 4400, 6400, and 8400 are mid-range to high-end virtualized storage arrays from HPE’s EVA lineup, known for their thin provisioning and dynamic capacity management. This drive integrates flawlessly with these systems, supporting their Fibre Channel architecture and contributing to virtual LUNs (Logical Unit Numbers) for flexible data allocation.

Use Cases

Mission-Critical Database and Transaction Systems

Ideal for financial services, e-commerce, and healthcare applications, the drive’s high RPM and dual-port features ensure rapid query responses and transaction processing, where even milliseconds of delay can impact operations.

Virtualization and Cloud Infrastructure

In virtualized data centers, the drive supports hypervisors like VMware or Microsoft Hyper-V by providing fast storage for virtual machines (VMs). Its hot-swap capability facilitates live migrations and upgrades without disrupting virtual environments.

Backup and Archival in Enterprise Settings

For secondary storage in backup solutions or archival systems, the 600GB capacity and reliable FC-AL interface offer a balance of performance and cost, suitable for retaining large datasets in EVA-managed pools.

Benefits of the HPE 600GB FC-AL Hard Drive

Unparalleled Reliability and Availability

With dual-port redundancy and hot-swap support, the drive upholds high availability standards, reducing mean time to repair (MTTR) and ensuring business continuity in 24/7 operations.

Scalable and Cost-Effective Expansion

Compatible with EVA arrays that support terabyte-scale growth, the drive allows incremental capacity additions. Its legacy design remains economical for organizations maintaining older HPE infrastructure, avoiding full system overhauls.

Energy and Space Efficiency

The SFF form factor and efficient 15,000 RPM operation contribute to lower power draw and cooling needs compared to slower, bulkier drives, aligning with green data center initiatives.

Installation and Maintenance

Installation Process

Installation involves aligning the drive with an available bay in the M6412A enclosure or EVA array, ensuring proper Fibre Channel cabling to dual controllers. Hot-swap allows insertion without power-off; post-installation, the system auto-detects and configures the drive via HPE management tools like Command View EVA.

Maintenance Considerations

Routine monitoring through HPE’s Array Configuration Utility (ACU) or EVA-specific software is advised to track health metrics like SMART attributes. Firmware updates from HPE’s support site ensure compatibility. While new units came with a 3-year warranty, refurbished options often carry 30-90 day coverage; always verify vendor policies for extended support.

Comparison with Modern Alternatives

SAS and NVMe Drives

Compared to contemporary SAS or NVMe drives (e.g., HPE’s 12Gbps SAS 600GB models for Gen10 servers), the FC-AL drive is tailored for legacy Fibre Channel fabrics. Modern SSDs offer superior IOPS but at higher costs; this HDD shines in balanced read/write scenarios within EVA ecosystems. For upgrades, transitioning to EVA successors like StoreVirtual may require drive migration, but the FC-AL remains viable for sustained legacy support.

Conclusion

The HPE 600GB 15000RPM 2.5-inch SFF Dual Port 2/4Gbps Fibre Channel-AL Hot-Swap Hard Drive stands as a testament to HPE’s enduring enterprise storage legacy, perfectly suited for StorageWorks M6412A Enclosures and EVA 4400/6400/8400 arrays. Its blend of high-speed performance, redundancy, and hot-swap convenience makes it a reliable choice for mission-critical workloads, virtualization, and scalable data management. Even in 2025, as storage evolves toward flash and cloud-native solutions, this drive continues to power robust infrastructures for organizations invested in HPE’s classic EVA platform, delivering value through efficiency and dependability.

Sep 8th 2025 Mike Anderson