External hard drives (HDD), SSDs, NAS devices, and other external storage products were registered under IS 13252 and must migrate to IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 by November 2028.
Most external USB HDDs and SSDs are bus-powered (5V USB, typically under 5W) — PS1 power sources. Desktop external HDDs with AC adaptors may be PS2. NAS devices with multiple drives and dedicated PSUs can be PS2 or PS3 depending on total power.
Some higher-capacity desktop external HDDs now support USB-C PD for power. These require USB-C PD circuit evaluation under IS/IEC 62368-1:2023.
NAS devices combine network connectivity (Ethernet) with storage. They are typically plugged into home or office networks. The safety evaluation addresses both the electrical safety of the device and the network port safety (the Ethernet port must not conduct dangerous voltages if the network infrastructure has a fault).
For most external storage products (bus-powered HDDs, USB SSDs, pen drives), the migration from IS 13252 to IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 is straightforward. The products operate at very low voltages and powers (PS1), with minimal safety complexity. Typical migration: 6-8 weeks.