CMR — Conventional Magnetic Recording
Definition
A traditional HDD recording technology where data tracks are written without overlapping, providing consistent random-write performance.
Context & Usage
CMR is contrasted with SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording), which overlaps tracks for higher density but degraded write performance. Enterprise HDDs are typically CMR — random-write workloads in databases, virtualization, and file storage need consistent performance. Consumer HDDs may be CMR or SMR; SMR is unsuitable for ZFS pools, RAID arrays, and NAS.
Examples
- Seagate Exos X22 22 TB (CMR)
- WD Ultrastar DC HC560 20 TB (CMR)
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