NVMe SSD Classification
NVM Express® technology is driving the next generation of SSDs for data centers. NVMe® SSDs are not limited by legacy form factors or protocols, and they can better address the needs of servers and storage in enterprise and hyperscale data centers. Each of these use cases has distinct requirements and application environments, and they are outlined in the table below. There will always be exceptions to these guidelines, but these are generally fit profiles for NVMe SSD classification.
More details on each of the classification use cases are provided in a new NVMe SSD Classification White Paper which describes how NVMe SSDs are used in enterprise servers, enterprise storage, data center/hyperscale servers, and data center/hyperscale storage environments. This classification may also apply to SATA and SAS SSDs.
Updated August 2021
| NVMe SSD Classification | Enterprise Server | Enterprise Storage | Data Center / Hyperscale Server | Data Center / Hyperscale Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications / Use Cases |
Traditional DAS/RAID CRM/ERM/collaborative/ HCI |
AFA Cache |
Boot Cloud data storage Server data storage |
Durable storage RAID EC JBOD/JBOF |
| Form Factors |
M.2->E1.S 2.5-inch (U.2) E3.S, 3.L |
M.2->E1.S 2.5-inch (U.2) E3.S E3.L |
M.2->E1.S U.2 (7 &15 mm-Z) |
U.2 E1.L E1.S |
| Power |
8.25-11W (M.2) 12-25W (2.5-inch/U.2) 25-40W (E1.S, E1.L) |
8.25-11W (M.2) 12-25W (2.5-inch/U.2) 25-40W (E1.S, E1,L) |
8.25-11W (M.2) 12-25W (E1.S) 12-25W (U.2) |
12-25W (E1.S) 25W (E1.L) |
| Performance | high performance, read intensive and mixed workload class drives, and best in class performance | high performance, mixed workload, and best in class performance | IOPS/TB scaling, mixed workloads | read bandwidth, seq write (ZNS) |
| Latency | Care about ave latency. Better than SAS/SATA |
Mixed workload QoS | Read QoS, tail latencies | read priority |
| Endurance- Drive Writes per Day (DWPD) |
1 DWPD (Read-Intensive) 3 DWPD (Mixed Use) 5-10 DWPD (Write-Intensive) |
1 DWPD (Read-Intensive) 3 DWPD (Mixed Use)
|
<=1 DWPD | <1 DWPD |
| Capacity | 1-8TB (2021) | 2-30TB (2021) | 1-2TB (2020) > 4TB 2021-22 | 4-8TB TLC, >8TB QLC |
| Management |
NVMe-MI (OOB) Swordfish (NVMe-oF) |
NVMe-MI (OOB) Swordfish (NVMe-oF) |
NVMe CLI (IB via SW) NVMe-MI basic for temp only (BMC) |
NVMe CLI (IB via SW) |
| Features |
Security Manageability Single-port, RAID |
Dual-port (2.5-inch form factor) X8/16 PCIe AIC Higher prices (greater than SANs) Capacities up to 30TB |
Single-port QoS
Sets / IOD TRIM performance Multi-tenancy |
ZNS SDS |
| SSD Vendor Examples | Enterprise Server | Enterprise Storage | Data Center / Hyperscale Server | Data Center / Hyperscale Storage |
| KIOXIA | CM6, CD6 | CM6 | XD5 | XD5 |
| Intel | P4510 (3.0), P5500 (4.0) | D4510 (3.0) | P4510 (3.0) | P4326 (QLC, 3.0) |
| Micron |
7300 PRO, MAX
9300 PRO, MAX
|
7300 MAX | 7300 PRO | 9300 PRO |
| Samsung | PM1733/5, SZ1735 | PM1733/5, SZ1735 | PM9A3 | PM9A3 |