WD Launches High-Performance Enterprise Drives

LAKE FOREST, Calif. - Aug. 26, 2008 - As the enterprise market for highly reliable, high-capacity storage continues to grow, WDR (NYSE: WDC) today added 750 GB and 1 TB WD RE3 SATA hard drives to its successful family of WD RET hard drives.

Perfect for demanding server and storage application environments, WD's RE3 750 GB and 1 TB high-capacity enterprise SATA hard drives combine 32 MB cache, enhanced vibration and shock tolerance, and deploy new electronics to increase performance approximately 20 percent and by as much 60 percent in high-vibration environments. WD RE3 enterprise hard drives also include improved reliability features that help protect the drive and the data stored on it, and run cooler and quieter than previous generation enterprise drives.

"WD continues to offer enterprise customers the best combination of features, optimum performance, and superior reliability that they have come to expect from WD," said Tom McDorman, vice president and general manager of enterprise storage solutions for WD. "With WD's extensive experience in previous generation enterprise drives, we continue to address opportunities based on our customers positive experiences with WD enterprise hard drives."

WD RE3 drives feature 1.2 million hours mean time between failures (MTBF), native command queuing (NCQ), time limited error recovery (TLER), and an extensive and enhanced testing process to ensure long-term reliability for demanding enterprise applications.

WD RE3 Features

StableTracT - The motor shaft is secured at both ends to reduce system-induced vibration and stabilize platters for accurate tracking during read and write operations. Visit the Web site at http://www.wdc.com/global/flash/index.asp?family=stabletrac to see StableTrac in action. Dual processor - Twice the processing power that results in a 20 percent performance improvement over the previous generation.

RAFFT technology - Resulting in up to 60 percent performance improvement over previous generation drives, WD's fourth-generation RAFF technology includes sophisticated electronics to monitor the drive and correct both linear and rotational vibration simultaneously in real time for maximum performance in high vibration environments.


IntelliSeekT technology - Calculates optimum seek speeds to lower power consumption, noise, and vibration in active seek modes without degrading performance.

Multi-axis shock sensor - An additional third sensor has been added to RE3 models to detect automatically the subtlest shock events and to compensate to protect the data.

RAID-specific, Time-Limited Error Recovery (TLER) - Prevents drive fallout caused by the extended hard drive error-recovery processes common to desktop drives. Third-generation dynamic fly height - With this next generation dynamic fly height technology, each read-write head's fly height is adjusted in real time for optimum reliability.

Thermal extended burn-in test - Extended burn-in testing with thermal cycling added to ensure only the most robust drives are produced as RAID Edition.

NoTouchT ramp load technology - The recording head never touches the disk media ensuring significantly less wear to the recording head and media as well as better drive protection in transit.

Price and Availability

WD RE3 1 TB (model WD 1002FBYS) and the 750 GB (model WD57502ABYS) hard drives are available now through select distributors and resellers. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the WD RE3 1 TB is $249 USD and the 750 GB is $199 USD. WD RE3 drives are covered by a five-year limited warranty. More information about WD RE3 enterprise drives may be found on the company's Web site at http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=503.