81N2C: Dell 300GB 6Gbps SAS 2.5in SFF 15000 RPM (Seagate ST9300453SS)

Dell 81N2C is a 300 GB, 15,000 rpm, 6 Gb/s SAS drive in the 2.5 inch small form factor, and the drive model named in the title is the Seagate ST9300453SS. In Seagate's Savvio 15K.3 data sheet that model number is the SED FIPS 140-2 version of the 300 GB drive: the standard 300 GB model is ST9300653SS and the plain self-encrypting model is ST9300553SS. So ST9300453SS is not a drop-in equal of the standard drive if encryption is in use.

Seagate notes that self-encrypting and FIPS 140-2 validated drives are not available in all models or countries, and that they may require a TCG-compliant host or controller. Before ordering a replacement, check whether your controller manages encryption keys; with a non-encrypting setup the extra features are simply unused, but the part itself is the encrypting variant.

Size is the second check. The data sheet gives the drive as 15.00 mm high (0.591 inch), 70.10 mm wide and 100.45 mm deep, weighing 0.200 kg. That is the 15 mm 2.5 inch SAS height, so it needs a bay and carrier that accept 15 mm drives. It is a SAS drive and will not work in a SATA-only bay.

Performance and reliability from the same sheet: 600 MB/s external transfer rate, 2.0 ms average latency, 2.6 ms average read and 3.1 ms average write seek, 0.2 and 0.4 ms track to track, 202 to 151 MB/s sustained from outer to inner diameter, and a 64 MB cache. The drive has two discs and four heads, a 0.44 percent annualized failure rate and one unrecoverable LBA per 10^16 bits. Average operating power is 7.92 W and idle power 4.23 W, and operating temperature is 5 to 55 C.

Seagate also lists a 146 GB Savvio 15K.3 in the same family. For a 12 Gb/s 300 GB 15K 2.5 inch drive see Dell 0N0T4, for another 6 Gb/s 300 GB option see 342-2242, or browse Dell storage hard drives.