400-AZPM Dell 1.6TB Mixed-Use TLC SAS 12Gbps Hot-Plug SSD.

Dell 400-AZPM 1.6TB Mixed Use SAS SSD: Enterprise Storage Performance

Overview of Dell 14G PowerEdge Server Storage Solutions

The Dell 400-AZPM represents the pinnacle of enterprise-grade solid state storage technology, specifically engineered for Dell's 14th generation PowerEdge servers. This 1.6TB Mixed Use TLC SAS SSD delivers exceptional performance, reliability, and endurance for demanding data center environments. Designed with the enterprise user in mind, this drive combines the speed of flash storage with the robustness required for 24/7 operation in business-critical applications.

Key Product Specifications

Capacity and Form Factor Details

With a formatted capacity of 1.6TB, the 400-AZPM utilizes a 2.5-inch Small Form Factor (SFF) design that maximizes storage density in server environments. The drive comes pre-installed in a hot-plug compatible tray, ensuring seamless integration into existing PowerEdge server infrastructure without requiring additional components or compatibility concerns.

Interface and Protocol Performance

Featuring a SAS 12Gbps interface, this SSD delivers maximum theoretical transfer speeds of up to 12 gigabits per second, significantly outperforming SATA-based alternatives. The dual-port SAS architecture provides redundant pathways for data, ensuring continuous availability even in the event of a controller failure—a critical feature for high-availability environments.

Technical Architecture and Performance Characteristics

TLC NAND Flash Technology

The 400-AZPM utilizes Triple-Level Cell (TLC) NAND flash memory specifically optimized for mixed-use workloads. Unlike consumer-grade TLC flash, this enterprise variant incorporates advanced wear-leveling algorithms, over-provisioning, and error correction technologies to maintain consistent performance and endurance under continuous write-intensive operations.

Mixed Use Workload Optimization

Engineered for balanced read/write operations, this mixed-use SSD is rated for 3 drive writes per day (DWPD), making it suitable for applications with moderate write amplification. The drive maintains consistent I/O performance across various workload patterns, from read-heavy database queries to write-intensive transaction processing.

Advanced Controller and Firmware

At the heart of the 400-AZPM lies a sophisticated controller architecture specifically tuned for enterprise SAS environments. The controller manages wear leveling, bad block management, garbage collection, and read disturb mitigation while maintaining low latency. Dell's proprietary firmware includes features like thermal throttling, power loss protection, and end-to-end data path protection.

Power Loss Protection Circuitry

Enterprise-grade power loss protection ensures that in-flight data is preserved during unexpected power interruptions. The drive incorporates capacitors that provide sufficient energy to complete pending writes and maintain data integrity, preventing corruption and ensuring transaction consistency.

Compatibility and Integration Features

Dell PowerEdge 14G Server Integration

The 400-AZPM is specifically validated and certified for Dell's 14th generation PowerEdge server portfolio, including the R740, R740xd, R740xd2, R940, and T640 models. The drive firmware is optimized to work seamlessly with Dell's PERC (PowerEdge RAID Controller) series and BOSS (Boot Optimized Storage Solution) configurations.

Hot-Plug Capability and Tray Design

Included with the drive is a dedicated hot-plug tray that enables replacement and expansion without server downtime. The tray design ensures proper alignment, cooling airflow, and secure connection, while the hot-plug capability allows for maintenance and upgrades during normal operation—critical for environments requiring 99.999% uptime.

Management and Monitoring Capabilities

The SSD fully supports Dell's OpenManage ecosystem, providing comprehensive monitoring and management capabilities. Through integrated iDRAC (Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller) interfaces, administrators can monitor drive health, temperature, wear indicators, and performance metrics in real-time.

S.M.A.R.T. Attributes and Predictive Failure

Advanced S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) attributes provide early warning of potential drive issues. Dell-enhanced S.M.A.R.T. parameters include media wearout indicator, read error rate, power cycle count, and temperature history, enabling proactive maintenance before failures impact operations.

Performance Specifications and Benchmarks

Sequential and Random I/O Performance

The 400-AZPM delivers exceptional performance across both sequential and random access patterns. Sequential read speeds reach up to 1,800 MB/s while sequential writes achieve up to 1,200 MB/s. Random performance excels with up to 250,000 IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) for read operations and 65,000 IOPS for write operations at queue depth 128.

Latency Characteristics

Consistent low latency is a hallmark of this enterprise SSD, with typical read latency under 100 microseconds and write latency under 20 microseconds. These characteristics make the drive ideal for latency-sensitive applications such as database transactions, virtualization hosts, and real-time analytics platforms.

Endurance and Reliability Metrics

Rated for 8.76 petabytes written (PBW) over its 5-year warranty period, the 400-AZPM demonstrates exceptional endurance for a mixed-use drive. With an MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) of 2 million hours and a non-recoverable read error rate of 1 sector per 10^17 bits read, the drive meets the rigorous reliability requirements of enterprise storage environments.

Write Amplification and Garbage Collection

Advanced garbage collection algorithms minimize write amplification, typically maintaining a ratio of 1.5 or lower under mixed workloads. This efficiency extends the functional lifespan of the drive while maintaining consistent performance during sustained write operations.

Use Cases and Application Scenarios

Virtualization and Cloud Infrastructure

As a primary storage medium for hypervisor boot volumes and VM storage, the 400-AZPM delivers the consistent low latency required for dense virtual machine environments. The drive's mixed-use characteristics make it ideal for VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, and containerized infrastructure where both read and write performance are critical.

Database and Transaction Processing

For relational databases like Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, and MySQL, the 400-AZPM provides the I/O consistency needed for OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) workloads. The drive's ability to handle random read/write mixtures efficiently supports both database files and transaction logs.

High-Performance Computing and Analytics

In HPC environments, the drive serves as fast intermediate storage for computational datasets, temporary files, and checkpoint operations. For analytics platforms like Hadoop and Spark, the SSD accelerates data processing pipelines and reduces job completion times compared to traditional hard disk drives.

Content Delivery and Web Serving

The high random read performance makes the 400-AZPM well-suited for content delivery networks, web server farms, and application hosting environments where fast access to numerous small files is essential for responsive user experiences.

Comparative Advantage in Enterprise Storage

Versus SATA SSDs

Compared to SATA SSDs, the SAS interface provides significantly higher bandwidth, dual-port redundancy, and enhanced error recovery capabilities. The 400-AZPM outperforms SATA alternatives in mixed workload scenarios, particularly in write-intensive operations and environments requiring consistent low latency.

Versus NVMe Drives

While NVMe drives offer higher peak performance, the 400-AZPM provides a balanced approach for environments where SAS infrastructure is already established. The drive offers excellent performance per dollar and maintains compatibility with existing SAS backplanes and controllers without requiring infrastructure upgrades.

Versus Read-Intensive and Value SSDs

Unlike read-optimized SSDs that sacrifice write endurance for cost reduction, the mixed-use designation of the 400-AZPM ensures balanced performance across both read and write operations. Compared to value SSDs, it offers significantly higher endurance ratings and more consistent performance under sustained workloads.

Environmental and Operational Specifications

Power Consumption and Efficiency

The 400-AZPM operates with typical power consumption of 5-8 watts during active operation and less than 1 watt during idle states. Power management features include aggressive low-power states during inactivity and progressive power scaling based on workload demands, contributing to reduced total cost of ownership in large-scale deployments.

Thermal Characteristics and Cooling

Designed to operate in data center environments with ambient temperatures up to 35°C, the drive includes thermal monitoring and throttling mechanisms to prevent overheating. The 2.5-inch form factor promotes efficient airflow and heat dissipation in densely populated server configurations.

Physical and Environmental Specifications

The drive measures 2.5 inches in width with a height of 15mm, compatible with standard SFF server bays. Operating temperature range spans from 0°C to 70°C, with non-operating storage temperature rated from -40°C to 85°C. The drive can withstand operating shock up to 50G and non-operating shock up to 1000G.