Enterprise SSDs

Why an Enterprise SSD?

Introduction

An enterprise SSD is a type of solid state drive that is designed to fit the needs of a server or data center environment. While a client-side SSD may have superior performance compared to a hard drive, it is not ideal for use in server workstations. So what are the differences between a consumer and enterprise solid state drive? Find out below.

Differences

Data Integrity

Data corruption can lead to errors with far-reaching impacts that can harm your organization. It can manifest as a .doc file that cannot be opened or an extra zero in an accounting spreadsheet.

To safeguard against data corruption, enterprise SSDs utilize features such as Error Correction Code (ECC) to find errors and fix them if possible. In addition, many enterprise solid state drives are able to find faulty memory cells that are prone to errors and isolate them to avoid data corruption in the future.

Endurance

There are several different types of flash memory, each with different levels of reliability and performance. The three most common types of memory used for SSDs are triple-level cell (TLC), multi-level cell (MLC), and single-level cell (SLC). The most reliable type is SLC, which is why it is commonly used in enterprise-grade solid state drives.

A flash memory cell has a finite lifespan, and that lifespan shortens each time data is written onto the cell. In a server environment where data is constantly being read and written, enterprise-grade solid state drives that utilize SLC memory cells have the best endurance.

Sustained Performance

When examining SSD performance, users often concentrate on peak data transfer rates. However, peak data transfer rates may not always be sustainable.

In a server environment, having consistent levels of performance is as valuable as having very high levels of performance. SSDs for client computers may sometimes appear to have higher data read/write rates than enterprise solid state drives, but they are not sustainable for long periods.

As a client-side SSD is powered on and in-use, performance levels can slowly drop over time. Enterprise SSDs are designed to have very consistent levels of read/write performance that do not drop greatly, despite high duty cycles.

Energy Efficiency

In addition to better sustained performance, enterprise-grade solid state drives can offer a lower true cost of ownership (TCO) than client-side SSDs. On average, enterprise-grade SSDs have better performance than consumer SSDs for the amount of energy that they consume.

Conclusion

Though consumer solid state drives are excellent options for client-side computers, they lack the performance and endurance levels required for use in servers. For the high duty cycles of a server, an enterprise SSD is a better option.

By NeweggBusiness Staff