WD Purple Pro WD221PURP 22 TB Hard Drive – 3.5" SATA CMR Surveillance Storage

Meet the WD Purple Pro WD221PURP, a high-capacity internal hard drive built for smart video applications and mission-critical surveillance systems. With an expansive 22 TB footprint, this drive is engineered to handle multi-camera environments, AI-enhanced analytics, and long-term retention requirements without sacrificing reliability or performance. Designed to excel in always-on deployments, the WD Purple Pro is the storage backbone you need for secure, continuous recording, rapid access to archived footage, and scalable growth as your surveillance network expands. Its 3.5-inch form factor and SATA (SATA/600) interface ensure straightforward integration into a wide range of servers, NVRs, and workstations, making it a practical upgrade for modern security ecosystems.

• Massive 22 TB capacity for extended video retention — Store months or even years of high-definition footage from multiple cameras in a single, dependable drive. The generous capacity minimizes the need for frequent offloading or archiving, reducing maintenance overhead and ensuring quick retrieval when incidents occur.
• Optimized for 24/7 surveillance workloads — Built to withstand continuous write workloads typical of DVR/NVR deployments, with consistent performance and validated reliability under long-hour operation. This is surveillance storage designed to stay in the field without compromise.
• Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) for steady performance — CMR technology delivers predictable, high-bandwidth writes when recording live video streams, helping to prevent dropped frames and stutter during peak recording periods. This makes it well-suited for high-stream-count installations and AI-driven analytics pipelines.
• 3.5-inch internal drive with SATA III (SATA/600) — A standard, enterprise-friendly form factor paired with a fast SATA interface ensures easy installation in desktops, servers, and security appliances. Compatibility with a wide range of hardware makes it a versatile upgrade path for existing surveillance setups.
• Smart video optimization and reliability features — The WD Purple Pro lineup includes video-optimized functionality designed to maintain video integrity in challenging environments. AllFrame technology helps minimize frame drops and maintain streaming reliability, even as camera counts and data rates grow. This emphasis on stability is ideal for AI-enabled analytics and real-time monitoring scenarios.

Technical Details of WD Purple Pro WD221PURP 22 TB Hard Drive

• Model: WD221PURP
• Series: WD Purple Pro
• Capacity: 22 TB
• Form Factor: 3.5-inch internal hard drive
• Interface: SATA III (SATA/600) 6 Gb/s
• Recording Technology: Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR)
• Target Use: Surveillance systems, DVR/NVR deployments, and smart video applications

how to install WD Purple Pro WD221PURP 22 TB Hard Drive

• Power down your computer, server, or surveillance appliance and unplug from power before opening the chassis or enclosure.
• Remove any existing drive if you are replacing it, using the appropriate screws or mounting hardware for your device’s drive bay.
• Mount the WD Purple Pro WD221PURP into a compatible 3.5-inch drive bay or storage chassis, ensuring it is securely fastened to minimize vibration.
• Connect a SATA data cable from the motherboard or storage controller to the drive and attach the included or appropriate power connector from the power supply.
• Power on the system and confirm that the BIOS/UEFI detects the new drive. If necessary, configure the drive in the storage controller or motherboard SATA controller settings.
• Initialize and format the drive in your operating system or surveillance software. If you are using a DVR/NVR or a storage array, add the drive to the storage pool or volume, and set up any required camera retention policies, RAID configurations, or analytics-enabled data paths.

Frequently asked questions

• Q: Is the WD Purple Pro WD221PURP suitable for 24/7 surveillance?

  A: Yes. This drive is engineered for always-on video recording across multi-camera environments, with reliability features and optimized streaming designed to minimize frame drops and interruptions during continuous operation.

• Q: What capacity does this drive offer?

  A: The WD221PURP provides 22 terabytes of storage, enabling extended retention and broad camera coverage without frequent offloads.

• Q: What interface and form factor does it use?

  A: It uses a standard 3.5-inch internal form factor with a SATA III (SATA/600) interface, compatible with a wide range of PCs, servers, NVRs, and surveillance appliances.

• Q: What is CM R and why does it matter for surveillance?

  A: Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) supports higher and more consistent write performance for sequential video data, reducing the risk of dropped frames during high‑throughput recording workloads.

• Q: Can I use this drive in a consumer PC?

  A: While it can be installed in many consumer systems, it’s purpose-built for surveillance workloads. Ensure your system has adequate power, cooling, and firmware support, and configure the drive for your security use case and retention needs.