2H59H Dell 1.92TB SAS-12GBPS Read Intensive TLC SSD Advanced Format 512e

Manufacturer & Part Identification

• Brand: Dell
• Manufacturer Part Number: 2H59H
• Dell Reference Number: 400-AZBK
• Product Type: Solid State Drive

Technical Specifications

• Storage Capacity: 1.92TB
• Flash Architecture: V-NAND Triple-Level Cell (TLC)
• Form Factor: 2.5-inch x 15mm Small Form Factor (SFF)
• Interface Protocol: Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) 12Gbps

Endurance Profile

• Usage Category: Read-centric solid-state drive
• Drive Writes Per Day (DWPD): 1 DWPD

Performance Metrics

• Sequential Read Speed: Up to 4,150 MB/s
• Sequential Write Speed: Up to 2,450 MB/s
• Random Read IOPS: 595,000
• Random Write IOPS: 155,000

Server Compatibility Matrix

Supported Rack Servers

• PowerEdge R440, R450, R550
• PowerEdge R640, R650, R650xs
• PowerEdge R6515, R6525
• PowerEdge R660, R660xs, R6615, R6625
• PowerEdge R740, R740xd
• PowerEdge R750, R750xa, R750xs
• PowerEdge R7515, R7525
• PowerEdge R760, R760xa, R760xs
• PowerEdge R7615, R7625
• PowerEdge R840, R860
• PowerEdge R940, R940xa, R960

Supported Tower Servers

• PowerEdge T550
• PowerEdge T560

Supported Modular & High-Density Servers

• PowerEdge C6420, C6520, C6525
• PowerEdge C6600, C6620
• PowerEdge HS5610, HS5620
• PowerEdge MX760c
• PowerEdge XR7620

Supported Storage Arrays

• Powervault MD2424

Ideal Use Cases

Read-Heavy Applications

• Virtualization platforms
• Database query acceleration
• Content delivery networks

Enterprise Workloads

• Data warehousing
• Cloud infrastructure
• High-performance computing clusters

Dell 2H59H 1.92TB SAS 12GBPS Read Intensive SSD

Designed for enterprise storage arrays, dual-controller systems, and server-class environments, the Dell 2H59H 1.92TB SAS 12Gbps Read Intensive TLC Advanced Format 512e Dell Certified SSD delivers a balance of capacity, reliability, and read-optimized endurance. Built to the expectations of data center operators, this drive blends modern triple-level cell (TLC) NAND with enterprise-grade controllers and firmware optimizations to provide consistent performance for read-centric workloads. The Dell certification ensures integration with Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell storage platforms, offering firmware validation, compatibility testing, and vendor support paths that simplify procurement and lifecycle management.

Key Specifications

Capacity and Form Factor

With a usable capacity of 1.92TB, the 2H59H drive fits common enterprise storage tiers where high-capacity read caching and hot data storage are required. The drive uses an enterprise 2.5-inch form factor compatible with many Dell hot-swap bays and sleds, enabling dense rack-level storage and flexible deployment across modern server infrastructures.

Interface and Throughput

Operating on a SAS 12Gbps interface, this SSD provides robust throughput with backward compatibility to 6Gbps ports where necessary. The SAS interface offers full-duplex communication and enterprise features such as zoning, multipath support, and robust error reporting, making it well-suited for SANs and multi-controller storage systems that need predictable, sustained read performance.

NAND and Endurance Class

Equipped with TLC NAND configured and managed for read-intensive workloads, the drive is engineered to prioritize read performance and data retention while delivering reasonable write endurance for caching and read-heavy application patterns. The read-intensive endurance class typically supports a workload profile that prioritizes frequent reads with lower write amplification requirements, making this model ideal for analytics, virtualization read caches, boot volumes, and content delivery systems.

Advanced Format 512e

The Advanced Format 512e sector emulation maps 512-byte logical sectors to 4K physical sectors, improving storage efficiency and error correction compared to legacy 512n drives. This formatting approach increases formatting efficiency, improves ECC effectiveness, and is compatible with existing operating systems and hypervisors that expect 512-byte logical sectors while benefiting from larger internal physical organization.

Dell Certification and Firmware Validation

Dell certification indicates that firmware and hardware interoperability testing has been completed against relevant Dell server models and storage arrays. This reduces integration risk, shortens validation cycles, and ensures that management functions such as predictive failure alerts, firmware update mechanisms, and SMART monitoring operate with Dell’s management stack and lifecycle tools.

Performance Characteristics and Real-World Behavior

Read Performance and IOPS Profile

The 2H59H excels at sustained random and sequential reads, delivering high IOPS and low latency under mixed small-block read workloads. In real-world scenarios like virtual desktop infrastructure, search indexes, or database read replicas, the drive’s firmware optimizes request queuing and garbage collection to maintain consistent latency and predictable throughput.

Write Behavior and Caching Mechanics

Although tuned for read-intensive use, the drive includes internal write caching algorithms and over-provisioning strategies to absorb bursty write patterns without immediate performance degradation. Enterprise controllers onboard typically implement background wear-leveling and adaptive garbage collection which ensure that occasional heavier write bursts do not cause sustained slowdowns.

Consistency Under Load

Consistency is crucial in enterprise deployments; the Dell 2H59H is designed to deliver steady performance across long-running workloads. The firmware’s QoS (quality-of-service) considerations mean that high-priority reads are prioritized and latency spikes are minimized, delivering smoother application behavior under multi-tenant and high-concurrency workloads.

Deployment Scenarios and Use Cases

Primary Read Cache for Hybrid Arrays

When used as a read cache in hybrid storage arrays, the 1.92TB capacity allows significant hot-data residency, lowering backend spinning disk I/O and dramatically improving application response times. Its SAS connectivity and enterprise firmware make it simple to slot into existing Dell storage shelves and caching layers.

Virtualization and VDI

In virtualization clusters and VDI environments where boot storms and high read concurrency are common, the drive’s read-optimized profile helps reduce login times and improves VM responsiveness. The combination of high IOPS and predictable latency makes it a strong candidate for read-heavy virtual workloads and persistent storage for non-write-intensive VMs.

Database Read Replicas and Analytic Engines

Business intelligence systems, OLAP cubes, and read-replica databases benefit from the drive’s fast read throughput and consistent access times. By housing indexes and frequently accessed shards on the 2H59H drive, organizations can speed analytical queries and reduce load on primary transactional systems.

Boot and OS Volumes in Multi-Node Clusters

Using this SSD for boot volumes provides faster node startup and operating system responsiveness, helpful in large clusters where quick recovery and rapid provisioning are required. The drive’s enterprise management features also facilitate automated monitoring and firmware updates through server management frameworks.

Reliability, Data Integrity and Enterprise Features

Power Loss Protection and Data Path Integrity

Enterprise SSDs commonly include mechanisms to protect in-flight data during sudden power loss events. The Dell 2H59H implements robust write path protections that reduce the risk of partial writes or metadata corruption, helping maintain filesystem integrity and simplifying recovery processes after unexpected outages.

End-to-End Data Protection and ECC

Integrated ECC (error-correcting code) routines, combined with enterprise-class firmware, ensure bit-level integrity through the data path. This reduces silent data corruption risks and is particularly important in storage systems that host critical business data or long-lived archives.

Dell Server and Storage Compatibility

Because this model is Dell certified, administrators can expect tested compatibility with Dell PowerEdge servers, various Dell storage arrays, and Dell-managed RAID controllers. This means fewer surprises when integrating into existing Dell ecosystems, and it eases support interactions with a single vendor for drive-related issues.

Multipath and SAN Best Practices

When deployed in SAN environments, proper multipath configuration and path failover policies ensure uninterrupted access and load balancing. The SAS 12Gbps interface simplifies topologies in SAN-attached storage and often pairs with enterprise HBAs, zoning strategies, and redundant controllers to maximize availability.

Power, Thermal and Physical Considerations

Power Efficiency and Thermal Profile

Enterprise SSDs like the 2H59H typically run cooler and draw less power than comparable spinning media under similar workloads, though peak power draw during sustained heavy I/O can be significant. Rack-level planning should account for SSD power density and cooling requirements, ensuring adequate airflow and thermal headroom in storage-dense enclosures.

Shock, Vibration and Mechanical Robustness

The 2.5-inch enterprise form factor is designed to tolerate rack-level vibration and mechanical shocks associated with dense server deployments. Robust mounting and hot-swap mechanisms in Dell chassis help protect drives during servicing and hot-swap events.

Comparisons and Positioning Versus Alternatives

Compared to SATA Enterprise SSDs

SAS 12Gbps provides protocol-level advantages over SATA, including dual-port capabilities on certain enterprise models, better error reporting, and enterprise command sets. While SATA drives may be cost-effective for some tiers, the SAS interface of the 2H59H typically results in better manageability and performance under heavy enterprise loads.

Compared to NVMe Options

NVMe drives usually offer lower latency and higher parallelism than SAS, but SAS remains widely supported in many enterprise arrays and offers mature multi-controller compatibility. The 2H59H is well-positioned where SAS support, vendor certification, and existing infrastructure investment make SAS-based SSDs the practical choice.