Massive Capacity Drive Appears in Unexpected Market
The world’s first 32TB hard disk drive has reportedly appeared for sale in the Russian market, according to recent retail listings. The WD Ultrastar DC HC690, part of Western Digital’s enterprise storage lineup, was discovered available through Russian online server hardware store ServerFlow, sources indicate.
Priced at approximately $1,914 (156,100 rubles), the drive represents a significant advancement in storage capacity technology. Industry analysts suggest this limited availability in Russia may represent either a localized test market or unofficial resale channel, raising questions about Western Digital’s global distribution strategy for this high-capacity product.
Enterprise-Grade Specifications and Performance
The Ultrastar DC HC690 features a 3.5-inch form factor with a SATA 6Gb/s interface and operates at 7200RPM, according to the product specifications. The drive utilizes shingled magnetic recording (SMR) technology to achieve its massive 32TB capacity while maintaining transfer rates of up to 269MB/s for both read and write operations.
Technical documentation indicates the drive includes a 512MB cache to manage high-volume data streams and shows an average access latency of 4.16ms. These specifications reportedly make the drive suitable for dense server environments, high-performance workstations, and scalable data center applications rather than consumer use.
Advanced Data Security Features
The drive includes a Sanitize Erase (SE) feature designed to securely wipe data before drive reuse or disposal, according to Western Digital’s documentation. This level of data protection is particularly important for organizations handling sensitive information in regulated industries, security experts suggest.
The Ultrastar series is marketed as enterprise-class storage prioritizing reliability and endurance over cost considerations. The inclusion of advanced security features aligns with Western Digital’s positioning of this product line for high-security organizational use.
Market Positioning and Availability
ServerFlow, the Russian vendor listing the device, sells both new and refurbished server components and offers a one-year warranty with optional extended protection. The limited availability in the Russian market suggests that broader commercial release may not have begun globally, market analysts observe.
As technology sectors continue evolving and industries face increasing data demands alongside cybersecurity challenges, large-capacity HDDs like the Ultrastar DC HC690 may find their primary application in archival and backup systems rather than everyday workstation use, according to storage industry trends.
Industry Implications and Future Outlook
The emergence of this 32TB drive in the Russian market represents an important milestone in data storage technology, industry watchers note. While solid-state drives continue to dominate high-speed applications, the development of such high-capacity traditional drives suggests ongoing innovation in magnetic storage technology.
The product listing can be viewed on the ServerFlow website, which provides detailed specifications and purchasing information. The drive’s DC designation indicates its intended use in data center environments requiring consistent power and performance characteristics.
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