Helium Hard Drive 101

Helium drives are the way to go if you’re looking for an environmentally friendly hard drive. They use up to 22% less power and generate less heat than other types of data storage. This can add up quickly for a data center trying to reduce its carbon footprint.

Theoretically, they may also be more reliable and last longer than conventional drives. All drives will eventually fail, and helium drives haven’t been around long enough to get an accurate sense of the failure rate. However, it stands to reason that because there is less friction in a helium drive than in a traditional hard drive, there is less chance of damage. Of course, this is only provided that the device is properly treated and cared for.

As climate change becomes a growing concern worldwide, many businesses are now required by their customers and, in some countries, governmental organizations to attain sustainability certifications and show improved carbon footprints over time. Helium drives use less energy and may need to be replaced less frequently, so using them is an excellent strategy for lowering a business’s carbon footprint—particularly companies that utilize large servers or data centers.