WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB Enterprise HDD 0F38459
Brand: Western Digital | Category: Enterprise HDDs
SKU: 0F38459 | Part #: 0F38459 | MPN: WUH721818AL
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About the WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB Enterprise HDD 0F38459
Idle power consumption starts at 5.0 W and climbs to 7.0 W under active load—a critical efficiency metric for storage architects planning high-density JBOD deployments. The WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB (part number WUH721818AL) delivers enterprise-class capacity without excessive thermal or electrical overhead, making it ideal for cost-conscious data center operators managing large-scale storage infrastructure. Western Digital engineered this drive with HelioSeal helium-fill technology across 7 platters, enabling the 18 TB formatted capacity while maintaining mechanical stability and reliability in mission-critical environments.
Built on CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) technology, the WD Ultrastar DC HC550 operates at 7200 RPM with a 512 MB data buffer and SATA 6 Gb/s interface. Western Digital rates the drive for 550 TB/year workload with a 0.35% annualized failure rate and 2,500,000-hour mean time between failures, backed by a non-recoverable read error rate of just 1 per 10^15 bits read. The 3.5-inch form factor measures 26.1 mm in height, fitting standard 1U and 2U enclosures. Dual-plane rotational vibration sensors compensate for mechanical stress in multi-drive arrays. Operating temperature range spans 0°C to 60°C, accommodating both cooled and moderately warm data center environments.
Typical Enterprise Deployment Scenarios
- Large-scale NAS and SAN arrays requiring balanced capacity, power efficiency, and predictable failure rates
- Archival and warm-tier storage systems where 550 TB/year workload matches backup and retrieval cycles
- JBOD expansion enclosures where per-drive idle power consumption directly impacts facility operating costs
- Video surveillance and content distribution platforms benefiting from high formatted capacity and CMR reliability
- Enterprise backup appliances and disaster recovery infrastructure demanding 24/7 availability and error resilience
For procurement inquiries, competitive volume quotes, or technical configuration support for the WUH721818AL, contact the Omnixon Global team via RFQ.
Technical Specifications
| Brand | Western Digital |
| Category | Enterprise HDDs |
| SKU | 0F38459 |
| Part Number | 0F38459 |
| MPN | WUH721818AL |
| Condition | New |
| Capacity | 18TB |
| Form Factor | 3.5" |
| Interface | SATA 6Gb/s |
| Speed | 7,200 RPM |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 0F38459 |
| Model Family | WD Ultrastar DC HC550 |
| Formatted Capacity | 18 TB |
| Interface | SATA 6 Gb/s |
| Spindle Speed | 7200 RPM |
| Cache (Data Buffer) | 512 MB |
| Recording Technology | CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) |
| Hermetic Seal Technology | HelioSeal (Helium-filled) |
| Number of Platters | 7 |
| Form Factor | 3.5-inch |
| Height | 26.1 mm |
| Rated Workload | 550 TB/year |
| Annualized Failure Rate (AFR) | 0.35% |
| Non-Recoverable Read Error Rate | 1 per 10^15 bits read |
| Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) | 2,500,000 hours |
| Power Consumption (Active, Average) | 7.0 W |
| Power Consumption (Idle, Average) | 5.0 W |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to 60°C |
| Rotational Vibration Compensation | Yes (dual-plane RV sensors) |
| Sector Size | 512e / 4Kn (configurable) |
| Encryption | Available in self-encrypting drive (SED) variant; base model 0F38459 is non-SED |
Frequently Asked Questions about WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB Enterprise HDD 0F38459
What does the WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB Enterprise HDD do?
At 18TB, the WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB Enterprise HDD suits enterprise data-center storage tiers — all-flash arrays, hyperconverged storage pools (vSAN, Ceph), database backends, and high-throughput backup repositories. The SATA 6Gb/s interface is supported by major server platforms.
What are the headline specs of the WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB Enterprise HDD?
Key specifications for the WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB Enterprise HDD: capacity 18TB; form factor 3.5"; interface SATA 6Gb/s; new condition; model WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB; brand Western Digital; category Hard Drive; capacity 18TB; form factor 3.5 inches; interface SATA 6Gb/s. Manufacturer part number 0F38459. For the full datasheet with electrical, environmental, and compliance details, contact our pre-sales engineering team.
Is the WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB Enterprise HDD compatible with my infrastructure?
The WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB Enterprise HDD uses a SATA 6Gb/s interface in a 3.5" form factor. It's compatible with server platforms that expose this interface — typical deployments include Dell PowerEdge, HPE ProLiant, Lenovo ThinkSystem, and Supermicro SuperServer chassis. For specific vendor part-number compatibility, our team validates against the manufacturer support matrix.