Lenovo 7XB7A00043 Thinksystem 3.5 4TB 7.2K SAS 12GB HOT Swap 512N HDD

Lenovo 7XB7A00043 ThinkSystem 3.5" 4TB 7.2K SAS 12Gb/s Hot-Swap 512n HDD

Overview

The Lenovo 7XB7A00043 is a 4TB, 7,200 RPM, 3.5-inch SAS hard drive engineered for deployment in Lenovo ThinkSystem servers requiring high-capacity, enterprise-grade bulk storage with full hot-swap serviceability. At 12 Gb/s SAS throughput and 512n sector format, it slots directly into ThinkSystem storage bays without controller reconfiguration headaches — making it the practical choice for bulk data tiering, backup targets, and surveillance-grade write-intensive workloads where capacity per dollar matters more than latency. If you're expanding storage in an existing ThinkSystem rack or populating a new node for a network video recorder deployment, the 7XB7A00043 deserves a close look.

Key Features

• 4TB Native Capacity: Four terabytes per spindle lets you build dense, cost-effective storage pools without sacrificing bay count to smaller drives. On a 24-bay ThinkSystem chassis, that's up to 96TB raw before any RAID overhead — workable for extended video retention or large dataset archives.
• 7,200 RPM Spindle Speed: Running at 7.2K RPM puts sustained sequential throughput well ahead of 5,400 RPM NAS-class drives. For surveillance NVR applications or database log targets that demand consistent write bandwidth, the RPM advantage is real — not just a spec-sheet number.
• 12 Gb/s SAS Interface: The 12 Gb/s SAS bus delivers roughly double the theoretical bandwidth ceiling of 6 Gb/s SATA. In practice this matters most in multi-drive RAID arrays where aggregate throughput stacks up — a 12 Gb/s backplane won't become the bottleneck as you add spindles.
• Hot-Swap Capable: Full hot-swap support means you can pull and replace a failed drive without taking the server offline. In 24/7 environments — surveillance archives, continuous-write workloads, always-on infrastructure — this eliminates the maintenance window negotiation entirely.
• 3.5-Inch Large Form Factor: The standard 3.5-inch footprint fits universally in ThinkSystem LFF (Large Form Factor) bays. No adapters, no trays sourced separately from a third party — the drive installs directly into the chassis carrier.
• 512n Sector Format: Native 512-byte sectors (512n) provide the broadest compatibility with older HBA firmware and RAID controllers that haven't been updated to handle 512e or 4Kn sector sizes. If your ThinkSystem RAID controller is running legacy firmware, 512n eliminates a compatibility variable.
• Dual-Voltage Operation (5V / 12V): The drive accepts both 5V and 12V rails as specified, standard for SAS enterprise drives in hot-swap backplanes. No special power conditioning is required beyond the server's native PSU delivery.
• Enterprise SAS Reliability Profile: SAS drives are designed for higher duty cycles than desktop or NAS SATA alternatives. The interface also provides dual-port redundancy at the physical layer — meaning a single cable or connector failure doesn't necessarily take the drive offline if the backplane supports dual-path routing.

Integration and Compatibility

The 7XB7A00043 is positioned as a ThinkSystem-native component, meaning it is validated for use in Lenovo's ThinkSystem server lineup — including rack and tower nodes equipped with LFF SAS storage bays. The 12 Gb/s SAS interface is backward compatible with 6 Gb/s SAS controllers, though at reduced throughput, so it can function in earlier-generation ThinkSystem hardware during a phased refresh. For organizations running a server and storage infrastructure built on the ThinkSystem platform, sourcing drives validated for that platform reduces the risk of compatibility flags in Lenovo's XClarity management stack.

The 512n sector format is a deliberate choice for compatibility-first environments. Organizations that have standardized on 512e or 4Kn should verify their specific RAID controller firmware before assuming interchangeability, as sector-format mismatches can surface as controller errors rather than obvious failure messages. Pairing this drive with a compatible network infrastructure and appropriately sized UPS protection rounds out a reliable server storage deployment. For extended retention NVR builds, consider coupling this drive capacity with a validated NVR platform that supports SAS-attached storage expansion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the interface and transfer rate of the Lenovo 7XB7A00043?

A: The 7XB7A00043 uses a SAS interface operating at 12 Gb/s. It is also listed with an Ethernet interface attribute in the distribution data, consistent with ThinkSystem management plane connectivity on the server side.

Q: Is the Lenovo 7XB7A00043 hot-swap capable?

A: Yes. The 7XB7A00043 is a hot-swap drive, meaning it can be inserted or removed from a compatible ThinkSystem server bay while the system remains powered on and operational — no downtime required for a drive swap in a supported chassis.

Q: What sector format does the 7XB7A00043 use?

A: The drive uses 512n (native 512-byte) sector format. This provides the broadest compatibility with RAID controllers and HBA firmware, including legacy controllers that may not fully support 512e or 4Kn advanced format drives.

Q: What are the physical dimensions and weight of the 7XB7A00043?

A: The drive measures 10.20 x 7.50 x 3.50 inches (L x W x H) and weighs 2.10 lbs. It is a standard 3.5-inch large form factor (LFF) drive suitable for LFF bays in ThinkSystem servers.

Q: How many drives come in a package?

A: The 7XB7A00043 is sold as a single drive (1 pc per pack). If you need to populate multiple bays, order the quantity required for your RAID configuration and retention targets.

Q: What operating voltage does the 7XB7A00043 require?

A: The drive operates on standard SAS enterprise power rails: 5V and 12V, both supplied natively by ThinkSystem hot-swap backplanes. No external power conditioning or adapters are needed.

Marty Allison

The 7XB7A00043 sits in a well-defined spot in the ThinkSystem drive lineup: 4TB at 7,200 RPM on a 12 Gb/s SAS bus, with native 512n sectors and full hot-swap support. What that combination actually means for an integrator is that you get a drive designed to live in a 24/7 server environment — not a repurposed NAS or desktop spindle dressed up with an enterprise label. The 12 Gb/s SAS interface is the detail I'd flag first for anyone spec'ing a multi-drive array.

Technical Highlights:

• 12 Gb/s SAS Bus: Doubles the theoretical ceiling of 6 Gb/s SATA. In a RAID-6 array across 8+ spindles, that headroom keeps the backplane from throttling aggregate write throughput — relevant for continuous-write surveillance or database log workloads.
• Hot-Swap Architecture: Validated hot-swap means a failed drive in a ThinkSystem LFF bay gets swapped in the field without a maintenance window. For always-on video archive servers or NVR-adjacent storage nodes, that's the spec that keeps SLAs intact.
• 512n Sector Format: Native 512-byte sectors eliminate the firmware-compatibility variable. If you're inheriting an older ThinkSystem RAID controller that hasn't been updated for advanced format (512e/4Kn), 512n is the safe choice — no risk of silent sector-translation issues under load.

Deployment Considerations:

• Verify chassis bay type before ordering: the 7XB7A00043 is a 3.5-inch LFF drive. ThinkSystem servers configured with SFF (2.5-inch) bays require a different SKU — there is no LFF-to-SFF passive adapter that preserves hot-swap functionality.
• The 512n sector format, while broadly compatible, is a one-way consideration: if your environment is standardizing on 512e or 4Kn for alignment with newer OS and filesystem features, mixing 512n drives in the same RAID set can introduce management complexity in some controller configurations.

This drive is the right pick for ThinkSystem-based video surveillance archive nodes, large-capacity backup targets, and any LFF SAS bay where you need proven hot-swap serviceability on a 24/7 duty cycle without paying the premium for SSD tiering on bulk capacity tiers.