7.0Defect and error management

Seagate continues to use innovative technologies to manage defects and errors. These technologies are designed to increase data integrity, perform drive self-maintenance, and validate proper drive operation.

SCSI defect and error management involves drive internal defect/error management and SAS system error considerations (errors in communications between the initiator and the drive). In addition, Seagate provides the following technologies used to increase data integrity and drive reliability:

Background Media Scan (see Section 7.4)

Media Pre-Scan (see Section 7.5)

Deferred Auto-Reallocation (see Section 7.6)

Idle Read After Write (see Section 7.7)

The read error rates and specified storage capacities are not dependent on host (initiator) defect management routines.

7.1Drive internal defects/errors

During the initial drive format operation at the factory, media defects are identified, tagged as being unusable, and their locations recorded on the drive primary defects list (referred to as the “P’ list and also as the ETF defect list). At factory format time, these known defects are also reallocated, that is, reassigned to a new place on the medium and the location listed in the defects reallocation table. The “P” list is not altered after factory formatting. Locations of defects found and reallocated during error recovery procedures after drive shipment are listed in the “G” list (defects growth list). The “P” and “G” lists may be referenced by the initiator using the Read Defect Data command.

Details of the SCSI commands supported by the drive are described in the SAS Interface Manual. Also, more information on the drive Error Recovery philosophy is presented in the SAS Interface Manual.

7.2Drive error recovery procedures

When an error occurs during drive operation, the drive, if programmed to do so, performs error recovery proce- dures to attempt to recover the data. The error recovery procedures used depend on the options previously set in the Error Recovery Parameters mode page. Error recovery and defect management may involve using sev- eral SCSI commands described in the SAS Interface Manual. The drive implements selectable error recovery time limits required in video applications.

The error recovery scheme supported by the drive provides a way to control the total error recovery time for the entire command in addition to controlling the recovery level for a single LBA. The total amount of time spent in error recovery for a command can be limited using the Recovery Time Limit bytes in the Error Recovery mode page. The total amount of time spent in error recovery for a single LBA can be limited using the Read Retry Count or Write Retry Count bytes in the Error Recovery mode page.

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Seagate ST9146802SS manual Defect and error management, Drive internal defects/errors, Drive error recovery procedures

ST973402SS, ST9146802SS specifications

The Seagate ST973402SS and ST9146802SS are high-performance, enterprise-grade hard drives designed to meet the demanding needs of data-intensive applications. These drives are part of Seagate's Savvio and Barracuda product lines, aimed specifically at businesses and institutions requiring reliability, speed, and efficiency in storage solutions.

The ST973402SS is a 73GB, 2.5-inch hard drive, while the ST9146802SS offers a larger capacity of 146GB. Both models utilize a 10,000 RPM spindle speed, which significantly enhances their ability to handle fast data read and write operations. This speed ensures reduced latency and improved overall performance, making them ideal for environments where rapid access to data is crucial.

One of the standout features of these drives is their support for Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) interface. SAS technology provides a point-to-point connection, which allows for increased data transfer rates compared to traditional SATA drives. The ST973402SS and ST9146802SS are capable of transferring data at speeds of up to 600 MB/s, facilitating efficient data transfers in enterprise systems.

In terms of reliability, both models offer advanced features designed to improve data integrity and durability. They are built to withstand high workloads, with an annualized workload rate of up to 550 TB per year. This makes them well-suited for applications like databases and transactional storage, where sustained performance is required. Additionally, the drives feature Seagate’s PowerFit technology, which optimizes performance while minimizing power consumption.

To enhance data security, the drives come equipped with self-encrypting technology, ensuring that sensitive data is protected through hardware-based encryption. This is particularly important in environments where data breaches can lead to significant operational impacts.

The drives are also designed to operate efficiently in terms of thermal management, featuring robust heat dissipation capabilities. This helps to maintain optimal performance levels while prolonging the lifespan of the drives.

Overall, the Seagate ST973402SS and ST9146802SS are robust and reliable hard drives that cater to the needs of enterprise environments, combining high capacity, exceptional speed, advanced security features, and energy efficiency to help businesses maintain and manage large volumes of data effectively. With their proven performance and innovative technologies, these drives are well-equipped to support a wide range of applications in modern data centers.