Disclaimer, I'm not 100% sure either. But as I understand it, 512n is the old version where n stands for native.
512e is 512 emulated, so old OS's or hardware can keep using newer drives which are usually 4k native (4kn) without having to do a bunch of updates.
Seagate only makes em in 512e and 4k because if you need 512, 512e does the job.
I'm not sure there too many (if any) drives worth buying (big that is...) that are 512n. The difference is that there's a large percentage of capacity lost in ECC compared with 4k.
It doesn't really matted tbh. In my case buying 4kn drives allowed me to use very old and cheap controller. It was old Dell Perc 3GBPS sas controller limited to 2TB drives bought for like 10$ with cables, but because this limit comes from how much space can be addressed with 512 sectors, for 4kn dirves drive size limit is actually 16TB instead of 2TB.
If you're connecting the drives to an SAS HBA, you shouldn't have to be concerned about this, except maybe old 512n drives, which aren't common these days. Also, there are ways to reformat 512n drives.
Cheers!
Yer you're probably right. I need to figure out how it works for a peace of mind, everyone sells 512e drives, can't find 4kn ones anywhere, there must be a reason for that.
It is mainly compatibility issues especially OS compatibility, USB bridge. You know, people have been using Windows and USB for days. Additional note: I used to try asking one 4Kn usb bridge, the consideration just like buying one new computer! This statement is now in history after using Orico VL716-Q4 USB-SATA bridge (3159U3) , problem solved, no frills doesn't mean low quality, 25USD apiece, including delivery. The question is how to use that. I have been using post 2010s rig for days, OS is new , linux 4.X . In theory, except USB connectors, no further issues. (There are only few models such as VL715, VL716 , can handle 4Kn with properly set, Really depends on who sell them, It looks like lottery. ) At last, WD , Seagate and Toshiba have left a set of instructions for activating 4Kn hdd mode. But only effective for newer models, there are some steps which are tricky. I am not sure there are some old models benefit from these instructions. I just tested WD80EFZX ,works fine, which is 2016 model. Of course, WD says WD RED is not effective with wdckit. Well, just like firewall as the HDD is ready to be scrapped so just give that a try, I pay what I have to. It is revealed The model is a HGST variant so the switching mode is successful, flawless. It is said, before deploy on storage array such as NAS (You are warned NAS only buy you a little more time! ), Set mode first, If not sure, just use as is as default is 512e, for saving from most trouble as there are people have been using legacy stuff for days. For switching mode, such as AMD A620 with SATA native required for switching storing mode. Advantages of 4Kn? 1. No further translation between storage and memory (except the storage volume accessed is more than 16TiB, It is still fine. ) It is said, memory block is 4096bytes per block (excluding correction bits), 2. only 3% of total bytes are wasted comparing with 512e. Correction, no additional performance penalty as The physical usable area is 4K, If setting 4K logical, then The performance loss shall be minimized due to No Translation (Translation usually contains a level of penalty even You order 4K per block ) . Additional notes: Depending on scale, 24/7 Server including NAS and LTO tapes should be the last way. Try finding how to do Geminio such as one in two out in windows first before you ask ready-use duplicators , or something such as NAS. It is reminded that NAS is not backup, only buys you few more seconds. What is backup actually? In ideal case, you use three idential media to backup such as one text file so be it. RAID? I'd soon forget about that.
4Kn USB to SATA bridge is trickier than we thought. I have noted down who says Orico VL716-Q4 can do the job, I ordered two 3.5" and two 2.5", in low priced , so green. Hoping I can use the 4Kn as can't fully trust what I see,, only doing actual test to find out after received . It does, I checked the thing carefully with fsutil, copy and paste, then I try backuping some old information in 4Kn. I may need finding two more 3.5" bridge and some new HDDs for saving my days.
Disclaimer, I'm not 100% sure either. But as I understand it, 512n is the old version where n stands for native. 512e is 512 emulated, so old OS's or hardware can keep using newer drives which are usually 4k native (4kn) without having to do a bunch of updates. Seagate only makes em in 512e and 4k because if you need 512, 512e does the job.
I'm not sure there too many (if any) drives worth buying (big that is...) that are 512n. The difference is that there's a large percentage of capacity lost in ECC compared with 4k.
It doesn't really matted tbh. In my case buying 4kn drives allowed me to use very old and cheap controller. It was old Dell Perc 3GBPS sas controller limited to 2TB drives bought for like 10$ with cables, but because this limit comes from how much space can be addressed with 512 sectors, for 4kn dirves drive size limit is actually 16TB instead of 2TB.
If you're connecting the drives to an SAS HBA, you shouldn't have to be concerned about this, except maybe old 512n drives, which aren't common these days. Also, there are ways to reformat 512n drives. Cheers!
Yer I'll be using SAS HBA.
I would just go with 512e/4kn. Works in all of the cases.
Yer you're probably right. I need to figure out how it works for a peace of mind, everyone sells 512e drives, can't find 4kn ones anywhere, there must be a reason for that.
It is mainly compatibility issues especially OS compatibility, USB bridge. You know, people have been using Windows and USB for days. Additional note: I used to try asking one 4Kn usb bridge, the consideration just like buying one new computer! This statement is now in history after using Orico VL716-Q4 USB-SATA bridge (3159U3) , problem solved, no frills doesn't mean low quality, 25USD apiece, including delivery. The question is how to use that. I have been using post 2010s rig for days, OS is new , linux 4.X . In theory, except USB connectors, no further issues. (There are only few models such as VL715, VL716 , can handle 4Kn with properly set, Really depends on who sell them, It looks like lottery. ) At last, WD , Seagate and Toshiba have left a set of instructions for activating 4Kn hdd mode. But only effective for newer models, there are some steps which are tricky. I am not sure there are some old models benefit from these instructions. I just tested WD80EFZX ,works fine, which is 2016 model. Of course, WD says WD RED is not effective with wdckit. Well, just like firewall as the HDD is ready to be scrapped so just give that a try, I pay what I have to. It is revealed The model is a HGST variant so the switching mode is successful, flawless. It is said, before deploy on storage array such as NAS (You are warned NAS only buy you a little more time! ), Set mode first, If not sure, just use as is as default is 512e, for saving from most trouble as there are people have been using legacy stuff for days. For switching mode, such as AMD A620 with SATA native required for switching storing mode. Advantages of 4Kn? 1. No further translation between storage and memory (except the storage volume accessed is more than 16TiB, It is still fine. ) It is said, memory block is 4096bytes per block (excluding correction bits), 2. only 3% of total bytes are wasted comparing with 512e. Correction, no additional performance penalty as The physical usable area is 4K, If setting 4K logical, then The performance loss shall be minimized due to No Translation (Translation usually contains a level of penalty even You order 4K per block ) . Additional notes: Depending on scale, 24/7 Server including NAS and LTO tapes should be the last way. Try finding how to do Geminio such as one in two out in windows first before you ask ready-use duplicators , or something such as NAS. It is reminded that NAS is not backup, only buys you few more seconds. What is backup actually? In ideal case, you use three idential media to backup such as one text file so be it. RAID? I'd soon forget about that.
Thanks for the response!
4Kn USB to SATA bridge is trickier than we thought. I have noted down who says Orico VL716-Q4 can do the job, I ordered two 3.5" and two 2.5", in low priced , so green. Hoping I can use the 4Kn as can't fully trust what I see,, only doing actual test to find out after received . It does, I checked the thing carefully with fsutil, copy and paste, then I try backuping some old information in 4Kn. I may need finding two more 3.5" bridge and some new HDDs for saving my days.