Seagate Exos 7E8 4TB SAS 12Gb/s 7200RPM Enterprise 3.5-inch Hard Drive — ST4000NM004A

The Seagate Exos 7E8 (ST4000NM004A) is a 4TB enterprise-grade 3.5-inch SAS 12Gb/s hard drive spinning at 7200RPM with a 256MB cache and 4Kn native sector format. Rated for 2.5M hour MTBF and 550TB/year workload, it delivers Seagate Exos-class reliability for 24/7 enterprise server, SAN, and storage array operation requiring SAS connectivity and high-capacity storage.

Product Details

• Part Number: ST4000NM004A
• Manufacturer: Seagate
• Model: Exos 7E8
• Product Type: Enterprise SAS Hard Drive

Key Features

• 4TB Capacity: High-capacity enterprise SAS storage for servers and storage arrays
• SAS 12Gb/s: Enterprise SAS interface for dual-port redundancy and high throughput
• 7200RPM: High-performance spindle speed for enterprise workloads
• 256MB Cache: Large buffer for improved sequential performance
• 2.5M Hour MTBF: Enterprise-grade reliability for 24/7 data center operation
• 550TB/Year Workload: Rated for heavy enterprise workloads

Technical Specifications

• Part Number: ST4000NM004A
• Capacity: 4TB
• Interface: SAS 12Gb/s
• RPM: 7200 RPM
• Cache: 256MB
• Sector Size: 4Kn (4K Native)
• Form Factor: 3.5-inch
• MTBF: 2.5 million hours
• Workload Rating: 550TB/year

Use Cases

• Enterprise Servers: High-capacity SAS storage for rack servers
• SAN Storage: SAS drives for Fibre Channel and iSCSI SAN arrays
• Storage Arrays: High-density 3.5-inch SAS drive bays in enterprise storage
• Backup & Archive: High-capacity SAS storage for enterprise backup targets

Compatibility Notes

• SAS 12Gb/s — backward compatible with SAS 6Gb/s controllers
• 4Kn (4K Native) sector format — requires OS and storage controller support for 4K sectors
• Dual-port SAS for redundant path connectivity in enterprise storage arrays
• Verify storage controller and array compatibility for 4Kn sector format before ordering

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 4Kn (4K Native) sector format?

4Kn uses native 4096-byte physical and logical sectors — unlike 512e which emulates 512-byte sectors. 4Kn requires OS and storage controller support. Verify compatibility with your storage system before ordering.

What is the advantage of SAS over SATA for enterprise storage?

SAS provides dual-port redundancy (two independent data paths), higher reliability ratings, and better performance under sustained workloads compared to SATA — making it preferred for enterprise storage arrays and mission-critical servers.

Is the ST4000NM004A suitable for RAID?

Yes — the Exos 7E8 includes TLER (Time-Limited Error Recovery) for RAID compatibility, preventing controller timeouts during error recovery in RAID configurations.

Whether you are expanding SAN storage capacity, deploying high-capacity SAS drives in an enterprise storage array, or replacing aging drives in a mission-critical server, the Seagate Exos 7E8 (ST4000NM004A) delivers the 4TB capacity, SAS 12Gb/s reliability, and enterprise endurance your storage infrastructure demands.