Understanding SSD Performance Project

The Solid State Storage Performance Test Specification (SSS PTS) defines a suite of tests and test methodologies necessary to enable comparative testing of individual Enterprise and Client SSD performance.  The SSS PTS also recommends a hardware/software environment in which to do the testing - the Reference Test Platform.

The Understanding SSD Performance project is intended to educate users about how to use the SSS PTS to make intelligent decisions about SSD performance. For example, as solid state drives (SSDs) are deployed in datacenters in both hybrid HDD/SSD and all flash arrays (AFAs), it is becoming increasingly important to understand what metrics are relevant to assess SSD datacenter performance. You can read more about this in a recent article published in DCS Europe.

This webpage contains a summary of SSS PTS-compliant performance data from actual enterprise and client SSDs, and descriptions of the individual tests within the SSS PTS.

Members of the SNIA Solid State Storage Technical Work Group – the team that created the SSS PTS – authored a companion white paper entitled “Understanding SSD Performance Using the SNIA SSS Performance Test Specification”.

Also available are a presentation, webcasts and a video about the PTS.

SSSI will also provide a public venue for SSD manufacturers to post SSS PTS-compliant test results for their products. SSSI intends to establish an industry-wide database of performance results, and encourages SSD manufacturers to contribute SSS PTS-compliant test results for their products.

The chart below contains a summary performance comparison by storage class of various SSDs and NVDIMM-N SSDs tested to the SSS PTS.   Tests for SSDs are tested on the SSSI RTP test platform using the PTS, CentOS and CTS test software.  Testing of the NVDIMM-N is block IO testing on a Supermicro platform using the Intel open source ADR driver (see footnote on below chart). 

Performance Comparison by Storage Class

Above is a summary of peformance measurements made on a variety of types of solid state storge devices using the SSS Performance Test Specification. Click here to download a PDF of the chart.  This table will be updated periodically as more data becomes available.

Questions or comments?  Send them to asksssi@snia.org.