Western Digital Gold 22TB Enterprise SATA 3.5" Hard Disk Drive

Overview

The Western Digital WD221KRYZ is a 3.5-inch enterprise hard disk drive designed to provide 22 TB of high-capacity storage with reliable performance for demanding data environments. It operates at 7200 RPM and uses a SATA III 6 Gb/s interface, delivering transfer speeds up to 291 MB/s supported by a 512 MB cache. This drive is built to handle continuous workloads in data centers, cloud storage, and backup arrays where both capacity and durability are critical.

Key features

• HelioSeal technology reduces internal turbulence by sealing the drive with helium, lowering power consumption and extending component lifespan.
• ArmorCache protects data integrity by preserving in-flight data during unexpected power losses when write caching is enabled.
• Integrated vibration protection stabilizes multi-drive enclosures, ensuring consistent performance in RAID and SAN configurations.
• High workload rating of 550 TB per year supports continuous, mission-critical operations without compromising reliability.
• Broad compatibility with major enterprise operating systems simplifies integration and migration in complex IT environments.

Key specs

• Storage capacity: 22 TB
• Form factor: 3.5-inch
• Interface: SATA III 6 Gb/s
• Rotational speed: 7200 RPM
• Cache size: 512 MB
• Maximum transfer rate: 291 MB/s
• Mean time between failures (MTBF): 2.5 million hours
• Workload rating: 550 TB per year

Performance and reliability

This hard drive balances speed and endurance to meet the needs of enterprise workloads. The 7200 RPM spindle speed and large cache enable smooth data transfers, while HelioSeal technology and vibration protection enhance reliability in multi-drive setups. Its long MTBF and high workload rating make it suitable for always-on applications where downtime is not an option.

Ideal uses and environments

The WD Gold 22 TB drive is well suited to data centers, virtualization clusters, archival storage, and large media libraries. It provides the capacity and durability required for continuous operation in environments that demand both high storage density and consistent performance. IT teams will appreciate its compatibility and endurance for scaling storage infrastructure.