P80578-B21 is HPE's 26TB SATA 6Gb Business Critical 7.2K LFF low-profile 512e ISE hard-drive option for qualified ProLiant configurations.
It is not a second-class drive simply because the interface is SATA. For nearline HDD workloads, mechanical throughput is far below the 6Gb/s interface ceiling; the real decision is controller architecture, support qualification and redundancy design.
Choose P80578-B21 when your ProLiant configuration is qualified for the 26TB SATA option and the workload is capacity-oriented. Choose P80577-B21 SAS when dual-port architecture, SAS controller policy or multipath design is part of the requirement.
Verify the part number, carrier, firmware, sector format and server or storage-array qualification before ordering. A bare mechanism or third-party compatible listing can be useful, but it is an alternative unless it is sold as the qualified OEM kit or spare you need.
These are the verified procurement identifiers and configuration constraints that should survive from quote to purchase order.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| OEM | HPE |
| Part number / identity | P80578-B21 |
| Capacity | 26TB raw decimal capacity per drive |
| Interface | 6Gb/s SATA |
| RPM | 7,200 RPM |
| Form factor | 3.5-inch LFF low-profile |
| Sector format | 512e |
| Hot-plug | Hot-plug in supported LFF bays |
| Carrier | HPE low-profile Smart Carrier option kit |
| Encryption | ISE; not listed as SED/FIPS in the cited HPE entry |
| Workload class | Business Critical / Midline, medium workload |
| Compatible systems | Specific ProLiant configurations with LFF SATA-capable storage controller paths |
| Best use | Nearline capacity, backup, archive and object-storage nodes where SATA qualification is enough |
| Kit status | HPE -B21 orderable option; HPE notes -H21/-K21 variants can replace -B21 for some server family lines |
No exact in-stock live row is currently matched for P80578-B21. Relevant live alternatives are shown for pricing context; verify qualification before treating any row as a substitute.
Live prices · updated every 4-5 hours · last checked 33 min ago · not exact OEM replacements; verify qualification, carrier, firmware and interface before ordering
| Model | Capacity | Recording | RPM | Workload TB/yr | Warranty | $/TB | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1TB ST31000640SSREFURB | 1TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $14.99 | $15 | Buy |
| 4TB 695842-001 | 4TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $15.00 | $60 | Buy |
| 1TB 508011-001REFURB | 1TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $26.99 | $27 | Buy |
| 24TB WUH722424ALE604REFURB | 24TB | CMR | 7,200 | 550 | 5 yr | $28.71 | $689 | Buy |
| 24TB ST24000NM002HREFURB | 24TB | CMR | 7,200 | 550 | 5 yr | $29.17 | $700 | Buy |
| 12TB MB012000GWWFEREFURB | 12TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | 5 yr | $30.00 | $360 | Buy |
| 4TB 846523-004REFURB | 4TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $30.00 | $120 | Buy |
| 8TB 834031-B21 | 8TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $32.75 | $262 | Buy |
| 2TB AP072B321REFURB | 2TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $34.49 | $69 | Buy |
| 12TB MB012000GWWFEREFURB | 12TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | 5 yr | $34.50 | $414 | Buy |
| 24TB ST24000DM001 | 24TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $35.83 | $860 | Buy |
| 26TB WD260KFGX | 26TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $43.25 | $1124 | Buy |
| 24TB WD241KFGX | 24TB | CMR | 7,200 | 550 | 5 yr | $44.17 | $1060 | Buy |
| 24TB ST24000NM000H | 24TB | CMR | 7,200 | 550 | 5 yr | $58.37 | $1401 | Buy |
Workload rating is recorded per part number from the manufacturer's published data for that exact model where available, not blanketed across the line — two drives of the same capacity can differ because they are different generations. A dash means the figure is not stated for that listing. Recording technology comes from the manufacturer's published CMR/SMR list; a model absent from that list is shown as UNVERIFIED rather than guessed. Rows priced above 3× this line's in-stock median are flagged and excluded from the winner callout and from every median we compute.
This table is computed from live DatacenterDisk rows when an exact in-stock match exists. It is intentionally blank for unavailable models rather than filled with stale prices.
| Live model | Drive price | $/TB | 1 drive | 4 drives | 8 drives | 12 drives |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No exact in-stock row is available right now. Use the availability table for nearby live alternatives, then re-check the exact model before ordering. | ||||||
These are procurement paths to evaluate when exact stock is absent. Alternatives still require the exact platform, controller, sector format, carrier and support policy to approve them.
| Alternative | When it can work | Procurement warning |
|---|---|---|
| P80578-B21 or documented HPE suffix variant | Best replacement path when the quote identifies the HPE-qualified 26TB SATA option for the target ProLiant family. | A bare SATA mechanism without HPE option identity is not the same product. |
| P80577-B21 26TB SAS | Possible platform alternative when the server has a SAS-capable path and the drive group is being specified accordingly. | Do not mix SAS and SATA inside a drive group without controller approval. |
| P68585-B21 24TB SATA | Same HPE Business Critical SATA path when 24TB is acceptable and qualified. | Lower raw capacity; compare price, availability and spare policy. |
| Generic 24TB/26TB/32TB SATA HDD | Only where a non-OEM capacity drive is explicitly acceptable. | No HPE carrier, firmware or support treatment by default. |
Use this table before accepting a quote, especially when new, open-box, refurbished and bare-drive listings appear side by side.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Exact option | P80578-B21 must appear on the quote or listing when you need the exact OEM option. |
| Carrier | HPE low-profile Smart Carrier option kit |
| Firmware path | OEM-qualified firmware can decide update eligibility, health reporting and support handling. |
| Sector format | 512e must match the controller, array and existing drive group. |
| Condition | New, open-box, refurbished and used units should be compared as different offers, not as the same price point. |
| Support | 1-year limited warranty for HPE Midline hard drives |
Raw decimal capacity is shown before filesystem formatting, RAID, hot spares, snapshots or vendor overhead.
| Drive count | Raw capacity | Single-parity example | Dual-parity example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 drives | 104TB raw | 78TB before formatting | 52TB before formatting |
| 8 drives | 208TB raw | 182TB before formatting | 156TB before formatting |
| 12 drives | 312TB raw | 286TB before formatting | 260TB before formatting |
HPE positions Business Critical LFF drives for medium-duty capacity workloads such as backup, archive and reference data. Those workloads usually care about qualified capacity, firmware support and predictable replacement more than about the interface headline.
A SATA drive can be the right choice on an HPE Smart Array path that supports it, but it is still single-port. Do not use the SATA option to satisfy a dual-controller or multipath storage design that expects SAS.
P80578-B21 often competes on acquisition cost against P80577-B21 SAS and against current 24TB HPE SATA options. Compare the live exact price, condition and kit contents before calculating price per terabyte.
Check the part number, carrier, sector format and firmware reporting in iLO/Smart Array tools before adding the drive to an existing RAID set. If the drive appears as a generic mechanism, stop and verify the listing.
For a single 7.2K HDD, normal sequential throughput is usually limited by the mechanics, not by 6Gb/s SATA. SAS can still be justified for dual-port and controller-architecture reasons.
It is an HPE LFF low-profile Business Critical option for supported hot-plug ProLiant bays. Verify the server chassis and carrier before ordering.
The cited HPE entry lists ISE, not SED or FIPS.
Mixing policies depend on the HPE controller and RAID set. Do not mix interfaces inside a drive group unless the controller documentation and support policy allow it.
Specification claims on this page were checked against the pages below on 1 September 2026. Where a widely-repeated figure did not survive that check, we report what the source says now and say so in the text rather than repeating the familiar number.