Dell 345-BCKM 3.84TB SAS-12GBPS SED Mixed Use Hot-Plug SSD

Overview of 345-BCKM Dell SAS 12GBPS 6.4TB SSD

The 345-BCKM Dell SAS 12GBPS 6.4TB Mixed Use 3DWPD TLC SFF Enterprise Class Solid State Drive (SSD) is a high-performance storage solution designed to meet the rigorous demands of modern enterprise environments. With an industry-leading combination of capacity, speed, and endurance, this drive is optimized for deployment in Dell EMC 14G PowerEdge servers and other enterprise-class systems. This product represents the pinnacle of storage technology, offering exceptional reliability and speed for demanding workloads.

Key Features and Specifications

Capacity and Performance

The 345-BCKM Dell SAS SSD provides a robust 6.4TB of storage, offering ample space to store a vast amount of critical data without compromising performance. This capacity is ideal for a variety of enterprise applications, from data-heavy databases and virtual machines to content-heavy applications and backup systems. With a sequential read speed of up to 2200 MB/s and a sequential write speed of up to 1200 MB/s, the drive ensures that large amounts of data can be processed quickly, which is essential for improving system performance and reducing latency in data-intensive environments.

Mixed-Use Design

One of the standout features of this SSD is its mixed-use design, making it an excellent choice for environments that demand both high read and write performance. The mixed-use capability ensures that the drive can handle a wide range of workloads, including transactional and analytics tasks, while maintaining consistency in performance. The drive is optimized for environments where both read and write operations occur at high frequency, such as high-performance computing (HPC), virtualization, and cloud computing applications.

3DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day) Endurance

The 345-BCKM Dell SAS SSD is built with a high endurance rating of 3DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day), which means the drive is capable of handling up to three full drive writes per day throughout its 5-year warranty period. This makes it suitable for demanding applications that require continuous data writes, such as real-time analytics, transaction-heavy databases, and high-traffic virtualized environments. This high endurance ensures that the SSD maintains optimal performance over time, even in write-intensive use cases.

TLC NAND Technology

The drive uses Triple-Level Cell (TLC) NAND flash memory, which allows it to store three bits per cell, offering a good balance of performance, cost, and storage capacity. TLC NAND is well-suited for enterprise applications because of its higher density compared to Single-Level Cell (SLC) or Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND, offering a cost-effective solution for large-scale deployments while still providing substantial performance benefits. Despite its higher density, TLC NAND has been optimized to offer a high level of endurance and reliability in this SSD model, thanks to advanced wear-leveling and error-correction technologies.

Compatibility and Integration

Designed for Dell EMC 14G PowerEdge Servers

Specifically designed for integration with Dell EMC PowerEdge 14G servers, the 345-BCKM SSD provides seamless compatibility and exceptional performance in this environment. The drive uses the SAS 12Gbps interface, which ensures that the data transfer speeds are maximized for faster performance. Dell PowerEdge servers are known for their robustness and flexibility, and pairing them with the 345-BCKM SSD maximizes the potential of these systems, ensuring optimal performance for a wide range of enterprise workloads.

Enterprise-Class Reliability

As an enterprise-class SSD, the 345-BCKM is engineered to offer exceptional reliability and uptime, critical factors in environments where data integrity and availability are paramount. This SSD is built to handle continuous, round-the-clock operation, with features like power-loss protection and advanced error correction that help safeguard your data. Whether you're running a data center, a virtualized infrastructure, or mission-critical applications, this drive is built to provide high availability and reduce the risk of data loss.

Hot-Swap Support

Another key feature of the 345-BCKM Dell SAS SSD is its hot-swap support, meaning it can be replaced or added to a running system without the need for powering down the entire system. This reduces system downtime, making it a critical tool for organizations that cannot afford any interruptions in service. The ability to replace faulty drives without impacting the overall performance of the system increases the operational efficiency of businesses that rely on constant data availability.

Applications and Use Cases

Data Centers and Enterprise Storage

The 345-BCKM SSD is well-suited for deployment in large-scale data centers, providing the high-capacity, high-performance storage necessary to support massive amounts of data. In data center environments, it is used for everything from hosting virtual machines to running enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and large-scale databases. Its 6.4TB capacity and ability to handle mixed-use workloads make it ideal for these high-demand environments, where reliable and consistent performance is crucial to success.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing

Virtualization and cloud computing environments benefit from the high throughput and low latency of the 345-BCKM SSD. These environments require rapid data processing, fast I/O operations, and low-latency access to ensure seamless performance for virtual machines (VMs), storage, and applications. The drive’s high read and write speeds, combined with its endurance, make it an excellent choice for running high-performance virtualized workloads in the cloud or on-premise servers.

Transactional and Database Applications

The 345-BCKM is designed to excel in transactional workloads, such as those found in financial systems, inventory management systems, and enterprise databases. These applications require fast read and write speeds to process numerous transactions per second. The drive’s high throughput, coupled with its durability, ensures it can meet the high demands of such environments without compromising performance or reliability. Whether for online transaction processing (OLTP) or big data analytics, this SSD handles the workload with ease.

Backup and Recovery Systems

For backup and recovery systems, the 345-BCKM Dell SAS SSD provides the speed and reliability needed for quick, efficient backup and restore processes. Whether it is used for on-site backups or disaster recovery systems, the SSD ensures that critical data is available when needed. Its high endurance and consistent performance also ensure that backup operations can be performed without disrupting regular business operations.

Performance Benefits of the 345-BCKM SSD

Enhanced Speed for I/O-Intensive Workloads

With the ability to transfer data at speeds up to 12Gbps, the 345-BCKM SSD is optimized for I/O-intensive workloads. This high speed reduces latency and accelerates data access, which is critical for applications that rely on fast processing times, such as video rendering, scientific computing, and machine learning. The increased speed allows businesses to run data-heavy applications more efficiently, improving overall system productivity.

Improved Reliability with Built-In Error Correction

The 345-BCKM is equipped with built-in error-correcting code (ECC) to prevent data corruption. This ensures that data remains consistent and accurate, even when the SSD experiences heavy usage or power loss. The drive's ECC helps mitigate risks associated with data integrity, providing peace of mind for organizations that require 100% reliability in their storage solutions.

Energy Efficiency for Reduced Operational Costs

The drive's energy-efficient design helps reduce operational costs by minimizing power consumption without sacrificing performance. This is particularly valuable in large-scale data centers where power efficiency is a significant concern. By reducing energy usage, organizations can achieve substantial cost savings while maintaining the high-level performance needed for critical workloads.

Installing and Maintaining the 345-BCKM Dell SSD

Easy Installation in PowerEdge Servers

The 345-BCKM SSD is designed for easy installation in Dell PowerEdge servers, ensuring that organizations can quickly add or replace drives without a complicated setup process. Whether performing an upgrade or expanding storage capacity, the SSD fits seamlessly into the server's architecture, enabling efficient system performance right out of the box.

Maintenance and Firmware Updates

Maintaining the 345-BCKM SSD involves periodic monitoring and ensuring that the firmware is up to date. Dell provides regular firmware updates that enhance the drive's performance, security, and compatibility with new systems and applications.