Miscellaneous/hdd-lifetime

 How long will my Bubba HDD last?

So, your bubba have been running for a couple of years, how long will it last? There are alot of metrics around, MTBF, CDL, AFR but what does it all mean?

There is not easy answer to that question :(

You have to realize that this is all statistical data, and that doesn't apply very well to your single datapoint (your bubba).

<AFR calculation example of expected failure rates goes here>

Remember to always backup data you care about (pictures, docs etc). Rule of thumb I use is to have them on three places, and all of them can't be in the same room (same closet!)

Some links

• WC Official Statement
• Google's Experiences of BIG disk arrays
• Why big MTBF numbers are pointless
• More on MTBF