NetApp Enterprise HDD 20TB SAS

Brand: NetApp | Category: Enterprise HDDs

SKU: X11427A-R6 | Part #: X11427A-R6 | MPN: X11427A-R6

Contact for Pricing — Request a Quote

NetApp's 20TB Enterprise HDD (part number X11427A-R6) is engineered for 24×7 nearline storage workloads in data centres, AI infrastructure labs, and enterprise environments where sustained sequential performance meets reliability demands. This drive carries a nearline SAS classification rated for continuous duty cycles with an annualised failure rate that aligns with NetApp's qualification standards for ONTAP-managed storage systems. The 7200 RPM spindle speed delivers the throughput consistency required by capacity-tier RAID arrays, cold archive repositories, and hybrid tiering strategies across GCC and Asian data-centre deployments.

The X11427A-R6 arrives as a NetApp factory-qualified drive, meaning it ships with validated firmware, vibration compensation tuning, and pre-qualification within the DS460C shelf ecosystem and FAS series controllers. This distinction matters: NetApp's qualification process eliminates the firmware mismatch and drive-firmware-controller compatibility headaches that plague generic enterprise HDD procurement. Storage architects and infrastructure teams across the region rely on this pre-validation to reduce integration risk and accelerate deployment timelines in multi-node ONTAP clusters. The dual-port SAS-3 (12Gb/s) interface with 512e sector emulation ensures compatibility with existing SAN fabric investments while maintaining data integrity through T10 DIF end-to-end protection. NetApp's native support for RAID-DP and RAID-TEC layouts on this drive means your storage efficiency and fault tolerance calculations are backed by genuine NetApp engineering, not third-party assumptions.

Encryption and data protection are baked into the ONTAP software layer rather than the drive itself, which simplifies key management and allows NetApp Volume Encryption (NVE) and Aggregate Encryption (NAE) to protect data in transit and at rest across your entire cluster. This architecture decouples encryption policy from physical media, a significant advantage when refreshing or repurposing drives—your encryption posture remains consistent whether you use the X11427A-R6 in a new build or legacy expansion. The 20TB capacity per drive reduces the number of spindles required for petabyte-scale repositories, lowering power draw, cooling costs, and management overhead in densely packed data-centre shelves. For sysadmins managing NetApp FAS arrays, this drive delivers the predictable, vendor-supported experience that internal SLAs and compliance audits demand; there is no guesswork about whether a third-party HDD will behave identically across firmware versions or load patterns.

The nearline SAS classification positions the X11427A-R6 for cold archive, long-term retention, and capacity tiers in hybrid all-flash-plus-nearline architectures. AI labs running inference workloads on large model checkpoints, genomics research facilities storing sequencing datasets, and telecommunications providers archiving call logs all benefit from the sustained sequential read rates and reliability footprint this drive provides. NetApp's ONTAP software layers intelligence on top of the physical media—intelligent tiering, snapshot efficiency, and deduplication all run on storage controllers, not on the drive itself, so you are purchasing a proven, straightforward nearline HDD that plays its role in a much larger ecosystem. The form factor is 3.5-inch LFF, maximising capacity density per U of rack space while remaining compatible with standard enterprise SAN enclosures and industry-standard drive caddies.

Omnixon Global stocks the NetApp X11427A-R6 across our UAE and GCC distribution hubs, supporting data-centre build-outs, AI infrastructure expansion, and enterprise storage modernisation projects throughout the region and into Asia. Our team understands the qualification and compatibility requirements that enterprise procurement demands—we do not sell commodity drives as NetApp-validated solutions. For capacity planning, integration timelines, and RFQ inquiries, please contact our technical sales team to discuss your storage architecture and deployment schedule.

Storage Tier Positioning and Interface Specifications

• 20TB capacity per drive with dual-port SAS-3 (12Gb/s) interface and 512e sector emulation for seamless legacy SAN integration
• NetApp factory-qualified firmware and vibration compensation tuning; validated for DS460C shelf and FAS series ONTAP controllers
• Nearline SAS (NL-SAS) drive rated for 24×7 continuous duty, sustained sequential workloads, and cold archive tiers in hybrid storage architectures
• T10 DIF end-to-end data integrity protection with native ONTAP support for RAID-DP and RAID-TEC layouts
• ONTAP software encryption (NVE and NAE) independent of drive hardware; simplifies key management and multi-generation refresh cycles
• Part number X11427A-R6 ships pre-qualified and production-ready; eliminates firmware compatibility risk and integration delays in multi-controller clusters
• 7200 RPM spindle with 3.5-inch LFF form factor; optimises capacity density and power efficiency in enterprise shelf and enclosure environments