HP part number AJ038A identifies the AJ038A - HP StorageWorks MSL4048 2 x Drive/48 x Slot 38.4TB (Native) / 76.8TB (Compressed) Fibre Channel Tape Library, an enterprise-grade Storage Devices unit appropriate for data-center, server-room, and workstation deployment. The component is intended for use in HP / HPE ProLiant DL360, DL380, ML350 and BL series platforms where matched-pair installation, hot-spare provisioning, or matched-lot procurement is required. Technical specifications include capacity of 38.4 TB, interface of Fibre Channel. Typical workloads include VMware ESXi datastores, Veeam / Rubrik / Cohesity backup repositories, RDBMS data files (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle), and log-tier storage for Splunk and Elastic. Pro Disk Network maintains the AJ038A in our enterprise inventory and verifies each unit against manufacturer datasheet specifications prior to listing. New stock ships factory-sealed where available; refurbished units are tested under load before dispatch and ship with a 30-day Pro Disk Network functional warranty. Net 30 terms are available for qualified business accounts. Same-day dispatch on in-stock orders placed before 3pm ET; free standard ground shipping on US orders over $150.
The AJ038A is a HP storage devices component with capacity 38.4 TB, interface Fibre Channel. Pricing on the AJ038A is quote-based — email sales@prodisknetwork.com or use our live chat for a quote within one business day.
Reviewed By
Reviewed by:Pro Disk Network Engineering Team — . Specifications, compatibility, and pricing for the AJ038A verified against the manufacturer datasheet and our internal lab benchmarks.
Quick Answer: Will the AJ038A work with my RAID controller?
The AJ038A operates with any standard SAS/SATA/NVMe-compatible RAID controller (Dell PERC, HPE Smart Array, LSI/Broadcom MegaRAID, Adaptec, IBM ServeRAID, Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID). Mixing this drive in the same RAID volume with drives of different speed/capacity is supported but never recommended.
How fast does the AJ038A ship?
If in stock, the AJ038A ships same business day on US orders placed before 2 pm ET. Most US ZIP codes receive next-business-day or 2-day delivery via FedEx/UPS Ground or Express. Bulk and project orders shipping in pallets are typically dispatched within 24-48 hours.
The AJ038A is deployed by US enterprises, MSPs, government, and education customers across multiple infrastructure scenarios. Below are the most common deployment patterns Pro Disk Network sees in real-world orders.
VMware vSAN Capacity Tier — Used as bulk storage in all-flash and hybrid vSAN clusters. Pair with NVMe cache-tier drives for SLA-grade write throughput at half the cost of all-NVMe.
Veeam Backup Repository — Cost-optimised backup target for Veeam B&R, Rubrik, or Cohesity primary backup tier. RAID 6 over 8–24 drives delivers 100+ TB usable per server.
Splunk Warm/Cold Tier — Appropriate for Splunk warm/cold/frozen indexes where ingest write rates are below 200 MB/s per node. Avoid for hot-tier indexes — use NVMe instead.
File Server / SMB Shares — General-purpose Windows Server / Samba shares for departmental file storage. RAID 5 for capacity, RAID 10 for IOPS-sensitive workloads.
New, Bulk, or Refurbished — Choosing Your Tier
Pro Disk Network offers the AJ038A across three procurement tiers. Each tier is fully functional and warranted; the choice comes down to budget, warranty length, and whether the deployment is production-critical or capacity-expansion.
Tier
Discount vs OEM List
Warranty
Best For
New (Sealed OEM)
25–40%
HP manufacturer warranty (1–5 yr)
Production-critical first-tier
New (Bulk OEM)
50–65%
3-year Pro Disk Network warranty
New cluster builds, secondary tier
Refurbished
75–85%
12-month advance replacement
Capacity expansion, lab, dev/test, EOL refresh
What is the AJ038A?
The AJ038A is a HP enterprise-grade hard drive with capacity 38.4 TB and interface Fibre Channel, manufactured by HP. Pro Disk Network ships this part new and certified-refurbished from our US warehouse with same-day dispatch on orders placed before 3 PM ET, backed by a 30-day return guarantee.
Pros & Cons of AJ038A
Pros
Verified compatible with VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox
HCL-listed RAID controller pairings
Pre-validated firmware versus the manufacturer compatibility matrix
Cons
Refurbished tier reseals — original retail box not included
Single-drive purchases ship in static-shield bags, not retail packaging
Lead time on 24+ drive orders may extend 2–4 business days
Frequently Asked Questions about AJ038A
Is the AJ038A a genuine HP part?
Yes. Pro Disk Network sources every AJ038A as factory-original HP inventory verified against the manufacturer parts registry before listing. New units arrive sealed in OEM packaging; refurbished units are pulled from decommissioned HP servers, surface-tested, and re-warranted by Pro Disk Network for 12 months.
Will the AJ038A work with my RAID controller?
The AJ038A operates with any standard SAS/SATA/NVMe-compatible RAID controller (Dell PERC, HPE Smart Array, LSI/Broadcom MegaRAID, Adaptec, IBM ServeRAID, Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID). Mixing this drive in the same RAID volume with drives of different speed/capacity is supported but never recommended.
How fast does the AJ038A ship?
If in stock, the AJ038A ships same business day on US orders placed before 2 pm ET. Most US ZIP codes receive next-business-day or 2-day delivery via FedEx/UPS Ground or Express. Bulk and project orders shipping in pallets are typically dispatched within 24-48 hours.
What is the warranty on the AJ038A?
New AJ038A units carry the full HP manufacturer warranty (typically 1 to 5 years depending on product line). Refurbished and bulk-OEM units include a Pro Disk Network advance-replacement warranty (12 months refurbished, 36 months new bulk). DOA replacement is free within 30 days of receipt.
Do you offer bulk pricing for the AJ038A?
Yes. Pro Disk Network offers automatic volume discounts at 10, 25, 50, and 100+ unit tiers. Net 30 terms are available for verified businesses, government, and education buyers. Email sales@prodisknetwork.com with the quantity and target ship date for a quote within one business day.
How to Pick the Right Drive Capacity for Your Use Case
Sizing a storage drive correctly is the difference between a system that runs predictably for five years and one that you replace under emergency conditions at 18 months. For the AJ038A, plan capacity around three numbers: working-set size, retention window, and overhead headroom. Working set is the actively-read data — databases, indexes, hot files. Retention window is how long you keep cold data online before tiering off. Overhead headroom should be 25-30%: drives run noticeably slower above 80% utilisation and metadata operations stall above 90%.
Drive Health Monitoring: SMART, Workload Rating, and Predictive Failure
Workload rating — expressed as TB written per year — matters more than raw capacity in choosing the AJ038A for sustained-write workloads. Consumer SATA drives are rated for 55 TB/year; enterprise SATA for 180-550 TB/year; enterprise SAS for 550 TB+/year; mixed-use NVMe for 1-3 PB/year over five years. Match the rating to your sustained write profile, then add 30% headroom.