HPE 730146-001 480GB SATA-6GBPS MLC QR SFF SSD

HPE 730146-001 480GB SATA-6GBPS MLC SSD Overview

The HPE 730146-001 480GB SATA-6GBPS MLC QR SFF with Smart Carrier Internal Solid State Drive represents a highly reliable, data-center-grade storage option tailored for enterprise servers, storage arrays, and high-demand virtualization hosts. This category page description explains the drive’s defining characteristics, technical capabilities, deployment scenarios, compatibility, management features, and buying considerations. Whether you are looking for an internal SSD to replace aging HDDs, accelerate I/O-heavy applications, or standardize storage across an HPE ProLiant fleet, this small-form-factor (SFF) 2.5" SSD—featuring SATA 6.0 Gbps interface, multi-level cell (MLC) flash, and the HPE Smart Carrier—strikes a balance between performance, endurance, and cost.

Key Attributes

Several attributes make the HPE 730146-001 480GB category compelling for enterprise buyers:

• Form factor: 2.5-inch SFF (Small Form Factor) with HPE Smart Carrier — simplifies rack-server integration and hot-swap replacement.
• Interface: SATA 6.0Gbps — broad compatibility with server SATA backplanes and RAID controllers while delivering sustained I/O throughput for many enterprise workloads.
• Flash type: MLC (Multi-Level Cell) — offers a good balance of write endurance and cost compared to TLC/QLC variants, suited for mixed read/write server workloads.
• Capacity: 480GB — useful as a boot/OS drive, caching tier, or capacity-optimized performance tier in hybrid arrays.
• Drive management: HPE Smart Carrier and on-drive firmware utilities enable identification, health monitoring, and easier serviceability in HPE platforms.
• Enterprise features: Power-loss protection, S.M.A.R.T. support, and temperature/health reporting that integrate with HPE iLO and system management tools.

Use Cases

The HPE 730146-001 480GB SSD is designed for a variety of enterprise scenarios where reliability and predictable performance matter:

Boot and Operating System Drives

Use this SSD as a boot or OS drive for server platforms. The drive’s capacity and consistent latency reduce OS boot times, improve application startup, and enhance the responsiveness of system-level tasks like provisioning, patching, and automated deployments. Compared with traditional HDD boot volumes, this SSD sharply reduces I/O wait times during peak operations.

Virtualization and Hypervisor Hosts

When deployed in virtualization clusters, an SSD tier with 480GB modules can host hypervisor swap files, temporary VMs, or frequently accessed virtual machine images. The SATA 6Gbps interface provides predictable throughput for read-dominant VM workloads; MLC flash delivers a favorable endurance profile for mixed read/write cycles typical in consolidated environments.

Read-Accelerated Caching and Tiering

The drive serves well as a read/cache tier in hybrid storage arrays, especially where accelerating random reads is the primary objective. A 480GB SSD can complement larger-capacity HDD tiers to produce immediate, high-impact performance improvement for databases or content repositories with a high percentage of hot reads.

Edge and Remote Offices

Remote or edge deployments benefit from the lower power draw, shock resistance, and simplified maintenance of SFF SSDs. For remote servers or appliance-style hardware, the HPE Smart Carrier adds identification and compatibility benefits that ease field swaps and remote service processes.

Compatibility

Compatibility is a core consideration for enterprise procurement. The HPE 730146-001 SKU is purpose-built for integration with HPE ProLiant servers and storage shelves; however, many standard SATA backplanes also accept the drive. Below are practical compatibility and integration considerations to ensure a smooth deployment.

HPE Smart Carrier and HPE Server Backplanes

The HPE Smart Carrier physically secures the 2.5" drive and carries important asset and firmware identification information. When used in HPE ProLiant servers and storage arrays, the carrier allows system firmware and management tools to:

• Automatically identify the installed drive model and firmware revision.
• Surface predictive failure alerts to HPE iLO and system management dashboards.
• Enable vendor-validated firmware updates and compatibility checks.

Comparisons

Choosing the right storage component requires comparing like-for-like features across product categories. Consider the following high-level comparisons when evaluating the HPE 730146-001 480GB SATA SSD:

SATA SSD (This SKU) vs. NVMe SSD

NVMe SSDs offer significantly higher throughput and lower latency because they use the PCIe bus and optimized command sets. However, NVMe typically costs more per GB and may not be necessary for boot drives, read-cache tiers, or applications with lower queue depths. The SATA 6Gbps HPE 730146-001 is a cost-effective option where the SATA interface is already supported and where the workload does not require NVMe-class latency.

MLC vs. TLC/QLC Flash

MLC flash provides relatively higher endurance and more consistent performance for sustained writes compared with TLC/QLC. For write-intensive workloads, an MLC-based 480GB SSD is generally a more durable choice than same-capacity TLC/QLC offerings. For strictly archival or read-mostly scenarios, TLC/QLC could be considered for lower cost-per-GB but at a potential endurance tradeoff.

Redundancy and RAID Considerations

For data protection, consider RAID levels and how they affect usable capacity and rebuild times. RAID 1 provides mirroring at the expense of capacity, while RAID 10 may be preferred for write-intensive database workloads. Ensure RAID controller firmware and policies are compatible with SSDs to avoid unexpected rebuild behaviors or extended rebuild windows.