Backblaze Drive Stats for 2024

In December 2024, Backblaze managed a total of 305,180 drives, consisting of 4,060 boot drives and 301,120 data drives. This report will focus on the data drives as we analyze the annualized failure rates (AFR) for Q4 2024, the failure rates for 2024, and the lifetime failure rates for the drive models in service at the end of 2024.

Q4 2024 Hard Drive Failure Rates:
Backblaze monitored 301,120 data drives at the end of 2024. After excluding 487 drives that did not meet the criteria for inclusion, we analyzed 300,633 drives. The table below displays the annualized failure rates for Q4 2024 for these drives.

Observations:
– Seagate introduced 24TB drives (model: ST24000NM002H) in December, with 1,200 drives added to a Backblaze Vault, all of which had no failures in Q4.
– Five drive models had zero failures in Q4, including the 24TB Seagate drive, 4TB HGST drive, 8TB Seagate drive, 14TB Seagate drive, and 16TB Seagate drive.
– The number of 4TB drives decreased by 1,774 in Q4, with the remaining ~4,000 drives expected to be phased out by the end of Q1 2025. Only one 4TB drive failed in Q4.
– The quarterly failure rate decreased from 1.89% in Q3 to 1.35% in Q4, primarily due to the addition of over 14,000 new 20-plus TB drives, which had an AFR of 0.77% for the quarter.

Drive Model Criteria:
487 drives were excluded from the analysis due to two reasons: they were drives undergoing testing or they did not meet the criteria for inclusion based on drive count and drive days.

2024 Annual Hard Drive Failure Rates:
Out of the 301,120 drives monitored, nine drive models consisting of 2,012 drives did not meet the annual criteria and were excluded. The table below displays the AFRs for 2024 for the remaining 298,954 drives across 27 different models.

Observations:
– No drive models had zero failures in 2024, but the 16TB Seagate drive came close with only one failure in Q3, resulting in an AFR of 0.22% for the year.
– Backblaze’s data center technicians installed 53,337 drives in 2024, averaging 26 drives per hour based on a 2,080 work hours per year assumption.
– The 1,200 new 24TB Seagate drives added in 2024 were not included in the annual or lifetime tables due to insufficient drive days.

Comparison of Drive Stats for 2022, 2023, and 2024:
The table below compares the annual failure rates by drive model for the past three years, only including drive models that met the annual criteria for each respective year.

Observations:
– The overall annual failure rate decreased from 1.70% in 2023 to 1.57% in 2024.
– The failure rates of 8TB and 12TB drive models are expected to increase as they exceed five years of service.
– The 14TB and 16TB drive models, which comprise 57% of the drives in service, have low and stable failure rates.
– The 20TB, 22TB, and 24TB drive models are still in their early stages, and their failure rates are expected to be low.

Annualized Failure Rates by Drive Size:
The chart below shows the quarterly annualized failure rates by drive size over the past three years.

Observations:
– The 4TB and 10TB drives had minimal impact on the overall failure rate due to their relatively small numbers.
– The 8TB and 12TB drives, ranging in age from five to eight years, have varying failure rates, with the 12TB drives showing an increasing trend.
– The 14TB and 16TB drives, in their prime working lives of two to four years, have low and stable failure rates.
– The 22TB drives are still in their early days, and their failure rate direction will become clearer as more drives are added.

Annualized Failure Rates by Manufacturer:
The chart below displays the quarterly annualized failure rates by drive manufacturer.

Observations:
– HGST drives initially performed below the average for all manufacturers but exceeded the average from Q4 2023 onwards, primarily due to two 12TB drive models.
– Seagate drives showed a slight decrease in the quarterly AFR trendline from 2022 to 2024, possibly influenced by the removal of 4TB drives.
– Toshiba drives maintained consistency with quarterly AFR values ranging between 0.80% and 1.52%.
– WDC drives demonstrated a similar level of consistency as Toshiba drives but with lower AFR values each quarter.

Lifetime Hard Drive Stats:
Out of the 301,120 drives monitored, 11 drive models consisting of 2,736 drives did not meet the lifetime criteria and were excluded. The table below shows the lifetime AFRs for the remaining 298,230 drives across 25 different models.

Observations:
– The current lifetime AFR for all drives is 1.31%, down from 1.46% in 2023, primarily due to the completion of the migration of 4TB Seagate drives.
– The table further categorizes drive models with a lifetime AFR of 1.50% or less by drive size.

In conclusion, the Q4 2024 report provides insights into the failure rates of Backblaze’s data drives, highlighting the performance of different drive models and manufacturers. The report also mentions upcoming retirements and introduces the new Drive Stats team.

This article is based on public information provided by Backblaze

Background Information

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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

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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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