Backblaze Drive Stats for Q2 2024

. Backblaze monitored over 280,000 hard drives and SSDs in their cloud storage servers, analyzing failure rates and migration trends, and exploring the use of AI/ML techniques for predicting drive failure.

The AFR for Q2 2024 was lower than the same quarter the previous year, indicating improved performance.
Two drive models had zero failures in Q2 2024, showing their reliability and potential for long-term use.
The oldest data drive model in production had an impressive lifetime AFR of 0.86%, demonstrating the durability of these drives.

In Q2 2024, Backblaze monitored a total of 288,665 hard drives (HDDs) and solid state drives (SSDs) in their cloud storage servers across their data centers worldwide. After removing 3,789 boot drives from the analysis, consisting of 2,923 SSDs and 866 hard drives, they were left with 284,876 hard drives to review. They analyzed the annualized failure rates (AFRs) for Q2 2024, the lifetime AFRs of qualifying drive models, and the relationship between drive age and failure rates over time.

The AFR for Q2 2024 was 1.71%, which was higher than the previous quarter (1.41%) but lower than the same quarter the previous year (2.28%). While the increase from the previous quarter was unexpected, fluctuations in AFR are normal. Out of the 29 drive models analyzed, 16 had an AFR of 1.71% or below, while 13 had a higher AFR.

Two drive models, the 14TB Seagate (model: ST14000NM000J) and the 16TB Seagate (model: ST16000NM002J), had zero failures in Q2 2024. However, due to their relatively small number of drives and drive days, their success was somewhat limited. The 16TB Seagate drive model had a lifetime failure rate of 0.57%, which is considered very respectable.

In Q1, Backblaze migrated the last of their 4TB Toshiba drives, and in Q2, they migrated the last of their 6TB drives, including all Seagate 6TB drives that had reached an average age of nine years. The Seagate 6TB drive model had an impressive lifetime AFR of 0.86%. Currently, the 4TB Seagate (model: ST4000DM000) is the oldest data drive model in production, with an average age of 99.5 months. These drives are scheduled to be migrated in the next quarter or two using Backblaze’s in-house drive migration system.

The oldest data drive in service as of the end of Q2 2024 was a 4TB HGST drive (model: HMS5C4040ALE640) with 9 years, 11 months, and 23 days of service. However, this drive, along with other drives with over nine years of service, is being migrated and retired.

While no data drives had reached 10 years of service, there were 11 HDD boot drives that exceeded this mark. One of them, a 500GB WD drive (model: WD5000BPKT), had over 11 years of service.

The 12TB HGST drive (model: HUH721212ALN604) had an AFR of 7.17% in Q2 2024, which was uncharacteristically high. This quarterly failure rate has been increasing for about a year, resulting in a rise in the lifetime AFR from 0.99% to 1.57% over the last year. Backblaze is closely monitoring this trend.

For the lifetime review, Backblaze considered 283,065 drives grouped into 25 drive models that met the criteria of having 500 or more drives and over 100,000 accumulated drive days. They analyzed the changes in lifetime AFR over time for drive models with at least one million drive days. They divided the drive models into two groups based on average age: five years or less and above five years.

Among the drive models with an average age of five years or less, five were in Quadrant I, indicating good performance with an AFR below 1.5%. Two drive models were in Quadrant II, with failure rates above 1.5% but still reasonable. There were no drives in Quadrant III. Drive models in Quadrant IV were just starting out and had a good failure profile.

For drive models with an average age above 60 months, the models were spread across all four quadrants. Quadrant I contained good drives, Quadrants II and III were drives of concern, and Quadrant IV models looked promising.

Backblaze also explored the possibility of using AI/ML techniques to predict drive failure. While there have been research papers and studies on this topic, it is unclear if what is learned about one drive model can be applied to another due to the different failure profiles observed.

Backblaze has been recording and analyzing operational statistics of their hard drives and SSDs for over 11 years. They provide transparency by publishing their findings and insights, as well as the Drive Stats dataset for download.

This article is based on public information provided by Backblaze

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Background Information

About Backblaze:

Backblaze is a data storage company that offers online backup and cloud storage solutions for individuals and businesses. Founded in 2007, Backblaze simplifies data protection with an emphasis on affordability and user-friendly solutions. Their services provide reliable options for safeguarding and storing critical data, making them a trusted choice for those seeking secure and accessible storage solutions.

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About Seagate:

Seagate Technology, founded in 1978, is a leading data storage solutions provider that specializes in hard drives and storage solutions for consumers, businesses, and data centers. With a reputation for reliability and innovation, Seagate's products address diverse storage needs, from individual data storage to large-scale enterprise environments. The company has played a crucial role in shaping the data storage landscape and continues to be at the forefront of technological advancements.

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About Toshiba:

Toshiba is a technology leader, has a rich history of innovation in the realm of computers. From sleek laptops to powerful workstations, Toshiba's computing solutions combine performance and design to cater to diverse needs. Over the years, Toshiba has demonstrated its dedication to delivering computing solutions that align with the evolving demands of both consumers and professionals. Through innovation and a customer-centric approach, Toshiba continues to leave a mark in the computer industry, fostering a legacy of quality and excellence.

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Technology Explained

AFR: The Annualized Failure Rate (AFR) is a measure used to estimate the likelihood of failure of a piece of hardware, such as hard drives, over a year. It's often expressed as a percentage. AFR is commonly used in the context of data storage devices, particularly hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs), to provide an indication of how reliable these devices are expected to be. For example, if a hard drive has an AFR of 2%, it means that, statistically, around 2 out of every 100 drives of that model are expected to fail within a year under normal operating conditions.

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HDD: A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is a classic data storage device that utilizes spinning disks, or platters, coated with a magnetic material to store and retrieve data. An actuator arm with read/write heads accesses data by moving over the spinning platters. HDDs offer large storage capacities at a comparatively lower cost per gigabyte, making them suitable for applications where massive data storage is required, such as servers and desktop computers. However, HDDs are slower in terms of read and write speeds compared to SSDs due to the mechanical nature of their operation. They are more susceptible to physical shocks and are less energy-efficient due to the need to constantly spin the platters.