834028-B21: HPE 8TB SAS 12G Business Critical 7.2K LFF LP 512e Helium Digitally Signed Firmware HDD
Also listed as: 834131-001, 834027-001, HUH721008AL5200, 512e-Helium · made by Western Digital
The HPE 834028-B21 is an 8TB 7,200 RPM 3.5-inch Large Form Factor (LFF) 12Gb/s SAS enterprise hard drive sealed with helium technology and housed in an HPE Low Profile (LP) carrier. Engineered for bulk data archives, backup repositories, and software-defined storage on HPE ProLiant Gen9 and Gen10 servers, it features 512e sector formatting and digitally signed firmware. Used buyers must check helium level status and scan for bad sectors.
Specifications
| Part number | 834028-B21 |
|---|---|
| Brand | HPE |
| Made by | Western Digital |
| Type | Hard drives |
| Other numbers | 834131-001, 834027-001, HUH721008AL5200, 512e-Helium |
| Status | end of sale |
| Capacity (GB) | 8,000 |
| Interface | SAS 12Gb/s |
| Form factor | LFF 3.5in |
| Speed | 7.2K rpm |
| Carrier | Low Profile (LP) |
| Carrier type | LP |
| Sector format | 512e |
| Vendor model | HUH721008AL5200 |
| Generation fit | Gen9 / Gen10 |
About the 834028-B21
The HPE 834028-B21 is an enterprise 8TB Business Critical 3.5-inch hard drive engineered for bulk data storage and capacity-optimized server chassis. Utilizing a hermetically sealed helium enclosure (based on HGST/Western Digital HelioSeal technology), it reduces internal aerodynamic turbulence across its 7-platter stack. This architecture lowers power consumption per terabyte, decreases operating temperatures, and increases drive reliability in dense multi-drive rack enclosures.
Compatibility
Compatible with 3.5-inch LFF hot-plug drive bays in HPE ProLiant Gen9 and Gen10 platforms (including DL380 Gen9/Gen10 LFF configurations, ML350 Gen10, and Apollo storage servers) utilizing Low Profile (LP) carrier cages. It is incompatible with 2.5-inch SFF chassis. An active 12Gb/s SAS host bus adapter or Smart Array controller is required for host attachment.
How to identify a genuine unit
Genuine units feature an authentic HPE enterprise drive label with Option Part Number 834028-B21, Spare Part Number 834131-001, and Assembly Part Number 834027-001. The internal drive is a Western Digital / HGST Ultrastar He10 enterprise drive (model HUH721008AL5200). In iLO and HPE SSA, the drive reports HPE firmware with an HPDx prefix and displays active carrier status.
Buying used
When evaluating used helium-sealed hard drives, query SMART Attribute 22 (Helium Level / Helium Condition) using smartctl to verify that the internal gas seal remains intact (100% health). Drives with compromised hermetic seals will fail rapidly. In addition, verify that Reallocated Sector Count and Pending Sector Counts remain at zero, and test read verify across the 8TB surface area.
Reference prices (last 14 days, updated 2026-10-27)
Refurbished: USD 125 (1 sighting, Oct 2026)
Used: USD 85 (1 sighting, Oct 2026)
All sightings
| Seller | Condition | Price | Note | Seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| serversupply.com | refurbished | USD 125 | Refurbished drive tested clean SMART and 100% helium | 2026-10-27 |
| ebay.com | used | USD 85 | Working pull with verified 100% helium status | 2026-10-27 |
Prices seen on public listings on the dates shown, before tax and shipping. Not an offer.
Fits these models
Check compatibility with HPE
Before you buy, confirm the exact configuration against the vendor's own lists: firmware levels, operating systems, adapters and optics that HPE has tested with the HPE 834028-B21.
- Compatibility HPE SPOCK (storage, SAN and host compatibility)
- Part lookup HPE PartSurfer (spare and option part numbers)
- Support HPE Support Center
Equivalent part numbers
- Western Digital HUH721008AL5200 HGST Ultrastar He10 8TB 7.2K SAS 512e bare drive
FAQ
What happens if a helium-sealed hard drive leaks?
If the hermetic helium seal degrades, internal gas pressure drops, triggering SMART Attribute 22 warnings. The drive will eventually overheat and suffer head crashes as atmospheric air increases platter drag.
What is the difference between Low Profile (LP) and standard LFF carriers?
Low Profile (LP) carriers feature a thinner handle latch mechanism designed specifically to fit densely stacked 3.5-inch drive cages in 2U and 4U ProLiant servers without obstructing chassis clearance.
Buying or selling 834028-B21?
New, refurbished or used. Tell us the quantity and condition and we connect you with a vetted reseller in your region, usually within one working day.
Sources
- HPE Server Hard Drives QuickSpecs, checked 2026-10-27
- HPE PartSurfer 834028-B21 Record, checked 2026-10-27