Is this drive CMR or SMR?

It uses conventional magnetic recording (CMR), not shingled recording. That means sustained write speeds stay consistent under heavy loads, unlike SMR drives that slow down on large writes.

What is the 550 TB per year rating?

It is the workload limit Western Digital rates the drive for over a year, roughly 1.5 TB per day. Exceeding it regularly can shorten the drive's life.

Will it work in a desktop PC?

Yes, it is a standard 3.5-inch SATA drive, so it connects to any SATA port. It is louder and warmer than desktop drives, and some older systems need the 512e sectors aligned.

How does it compare with WD Red or Gold drives?

The HA340 is a data-center line with a higher workload rating than most Red drives. Gold drives add helium filling and higher capacities, while the HA340 keeps proven air-based CMR design at moderate capacity.

The drive itself. SATA cables, screws and mounting brackets are not included, so check your enclosure or server tray for those.

Does it need a RAID setup?

No, it runs as a single drive. For data-center use it is usually paired in RAID arrays, where its CMR design and workload rating suit rebuilds and heavy traffic.