MK000480GWUGF HPE Proliant 480GB SATA-6GBPS SSD Mixed USE SFF

HPE MK000480GWUGF 480GB SATA 6GBPS Mixed Use SFF SSD

The HPE MK000480GWUGF 480GB SATA 6GBPS Mixed Use SFF Solid State Drive is a purpose-built enterprise SATA SSD engineered for mixed-use server workloads. Designed for HPE ProLiant environments, this drive delivers a balance of performance, endurance and reliability suitable for database acceleration, virtualization boot/OS volumes, application caches and general purpose storage tiers where a blend of reads and writes is expected. The drive ships as a hot-plug unit and is commonly bundled with an HPE smart carrier for easy insertion into ProLiant Gen8/Gen9/Gen10 server bays.

Mixed-use flash optimization

“Mixed Use” indicates firmware and flash management tuned for workloads that include both read and write operations at moderate to high levels. Compared to read-intensive drives, mixed-use SSDs allocate more internal resources (like over-provisioning and wear-leveling prioritization) to sustain write performance and extend program/erase cycles. For data centers running transactional workloads, small-block database operations, VDI, caching layers and active archiving, this class of drive offers a reliable middle ground between cost and endurance.

SATA 6Gbps interface and compatibility

The HPE MK000480GWUGF uses the SATA 6Gb/s (SATA III) interface which integrates easily into existing server backplanes and storage controllers that support SATA/SAS to SATA bridging. This ensures broad compatibility across many generations of HPE ProLiant servers without requiring NVMe infrastructure changes. Because it is a digitally-signed firmware drive and often shipped in an HPE Smart Carrier, it is recognized by HPE systems for inventory, monitoring, and hot-swap operation.

Form factor and carrier options

Depending on the SKU and how the drive is supplied, the MK000480GWUGF is commonly available in a 2.5" SFF hot-plug configuration (7 mm height) or as a 3.5" LFF unit mounted in an HPE carrier. This flexibility lets integrators choose the physical format that fits their chassis and bay layout. The bundled smart carrier includes the carrier latch and faceplate required by ProLiant servers, simplifying upgrades and replacements.

Performance characteristics considerations

Sequential vs random performance

Sequential throughput (reads/writes of large contiguous blocks) is capped by SATA’s theoretical limits and flash channel parallelism; many listings for this HPE part show sequential read performance near 520 MiB/s. However, real-world server workloads are often dominated by random I/O (small block reads/writes). Mixed use SSDs optimize firmware to improve sustained small-block random write behavior compared with read-optimized parts, resulting in more predictable latency under mixed transactional load.

Latency and QoS

Enterprise-class SATA SSDs like the MK000480GWUGF are tuned to reduce worst-case latency spikes and deliver consistent IOPS for established workloads. While NVMe drives can provide far lower latency at the protocol level, SATA mixed-use SSDs remain attractive where platform compatibility and cost-per-GB are priorities.

Impact of RAID, controller and caching

When deployed behind software or hardware RAID controllers, measured performance may vary. Some RAID controllers add cache and read-ahead that boost sequential throughput; others can impose overhead, especially with write-back policies disabled. For best results, consult your HPE server/controller compatibility matrix and follow HPE’s recommended firmware levels for both server and drive.

Endurance, reliability and data integrity

The “mixed use” classification indicates higher write endurance than read-intensive parts, accommodating heavier write cycles typical of application and virtualized environments. While vendors may publish drive endurance as DWPD or TBW, third-party reseller pages emphasize the mixed-use firmware and enterprise NAND as the differentiator; for exact endurance parameters consult HPE product datasheets or your reseller prior to purchase.

Data protection and firmware

The MK000480GWUGF implements full data-path error detection, digitally signed firmware and enterprise-grade bad block management to protect data integrity across power cycles and unexpected interruptions. Digitally-signed firmware reduces the risk of unauthorized firmware replacement and ensures compatibility with HPE server management utilities.

MTBF and warranty notes

MTBF and warranty terms vary by the channel (OEM vs third-party reseller). HPE offers guidance on reliability for its OEM drives; however, many reseller listings indicate limited reseller warranty windows (e.g., 90 days) when offering used or refurbished stock. Always verify warranty coverage and RMA terms with the vendor at point of purchase.

Compatibility and certified platforms

HPE ProLiant integration

The MK000480GWUGF is widely marketed for HPE ProLiant Gen8, Gen9 and Gen10 server families and is commonly supplied with the HPE Smart Carrier for proper bay fit and reporting. Using certified HPE firmware and carriers ensures full reporting in ILO and the HPE management stack, making the drive easy to monitor and replace in production servers.

Storage controllers and non-HPE servers

Although the drive uses a standard SATA interface and will generally function in non-HPE servers, some features (carrier hot-swap behavior, firmware reporting, and vendor-specific monitoring) may be optimized for HPE platforms. If deploying in mixed-vendor environments, validate SMART reporting and carrier compatibility with your controller or backplane vendor.

Use cases and deployment patterns

Database and transactional workloads

Small to medium OLTP databases that require consistent random IOPS and moderate write endurance map well to mixed-use SATA SSDs. Use the MK000480GWUGF for database log volumes, index files, or as a high-speed tier under a slower capacity layer.

Virtualization (VM boot and general VM storage)

For VDI pools or hypervisor boot images where many VMs perform small random I/O, mixed-use SSDs reduce latency and increase consolidation density compared with HDDs, helping deliver faster VM boot storms and improved user-perceived responsiveness.

Caching and hot-tier storage

Use this drive as a cache device in hybrid arrays or as a hot tier in software-defined storage solutions: it accelerates frequently accessed data while allowing colder data to remain on high-density HDD tiers.