HPE 741164-001 400GB SAS-12GBPS SFF Smart Carrier Hot-Plug SSD

HPE 741164-001 400GB SAS-12GBPS SSD Overview

The HPE 741164-001 400GB SAS-12Gbps SFF Smart Carrier Write Intensive Hot-Plug Internal SSD sits within a specialized category of enterprise-grade storage components designed for high-performance servers, storage arrays, and mission-critical infrastructure. This continuous category description focuses on the product family and subcategories related to 2.5" SFF (Small Form Factor) SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) 12Gbps drives optimized for write-intensive workloads and equipped with HPE’s Smart Carrier hot-plug tray. Shoppers and technical buyers visiting the category page should expect detailed guidance on performance characteristics, endurance, compatibility, deployment patterns, and procurement considerations that help make confident purchasing decisions for datacenter and virtualization environments.

Key Technical Attributes

When evaluating drives in this category, buyers should weigh several technical attributes that define the product’s suitability:

Interface and form factor

The SAS-12Gbps interface provides a robust link layer for enterprise environments, delivering higher throughput and full-duplex communication compared to SATA. The SFF (2.5") form factor enables higher density in server and storage chassis, making the drives ideal for blade and rack servers that prioritize density without sacrificing performance.

Write-intensive optimization

“Write-intensive” classification indicates firmware tuning, NAND selection, and over-provisioning configured to maximize drive endurance under sustained, heavy write loads. Drives in this group typically offer higher drive write per day (DWPD) ratings, robust wear-leveling algorithms, and stronger power-loss protection to reduce data risk during unexpected outages.

Hot-plug Smart Carrier tray

The Smart Carrier hot-plug tray included with the HPE 741164-001 simplifies serviceability — allowing drives to be replaced without powering down the server. The carrier is designed to fit HPE-specific backplanes while also providing mechanical compatibility with common 2.5" SAS trays. The tray often includes activity indicators and an ergonomic latch for faster field swaps.

Compatibility

Compatibility is a top priority for enterprise buyers. Because the HPE 741164-001 is an HPE-branded part with an HPE Smart Carrier, it's vital to confirm mechanical and firmware compatibility with HPE servers, storage enclosures, and controllers. That said, many HPE drives based on standard SAS protocols will function in third-party enclosures that accept 2.5" SAS devices — but firmware features like predictive failure analytics and health reporting may be limited outside HPE systems.

Controller and backplane compatibility

Always validate the server or SAN controller supports SAS-12Gbps and that the backplane is rated for the SFF drive and Smart Carrier interface. If mixing different drive models in the same RAID group, ensure the array controller supports heterogeneous mixes and be aware of potential performance or rebuild-time impacts.

Thermal and power characteristics

SAS SSDs in high-density server arrays generate heat and draw steady power. The category typically specifies thermal envelopes (operating and non-operating temperatures), active power draw and idle power consumption. For dense bay populations, plan cooling capacity and power distribution to match the cumulative thermal and electrical load.

Thermal throttling and sustained performance

Under prolonged heavy writes, SSDs may implement thermal throttling to protect NAND health. Understand the sustained throughput ratings and whether the drive can maintain peak performance for extended durations or if performance is optimized for bursts followed by steady-state operation.

Form factor advantages

The 2.5" SFF form factor strikes a balance between density and thermal management. Compared to 3.5" drives, SFF allows for more drives per chassis, increasing aggregate IOPS and parallelism, which is particularly beneficial for random I/O workloads. Moreover, SFF carriers often integrate with hot-swap trays and provide LED indicators for quick field diagnostics.

Density vs. capacity trade-offs

Although SFF drives typically provide less raw capacity per device than large-format HDDs, their superior IOPS per watt and lower latency make them ideal for performance tiers. For mixed hot/cold architectures, SFF SSDs are commonly used in hot tiers while larger-capacity HDDs serve bulk cold storage.

Deployment

To get the most from drives in this category, follow best practices during installation and operational phases:

Initial configuration and firmware baseline

Install drives with updated vendor-approved firmware and set a baseline for health monitoring. Register drives in inventory systems and tag them with purchase and warranty metadata to streamline future RMAs.

RAID and redundancy strategies

Use RAID levels appropriate for performance and redundancy — for write-intensive SSDs, RAID configurations that balance rebuild time and write amplification are preferred. Consider RAID 10 for low-latency, high-IOPS requirements; RAID 6 or erasure coding may be appropriate for larger capacity arrays where rebuild speed and data protection are priorities.

Environmental and regulatory considerations

Enterprises must ensure that drives conform to regional safety and environmental regulations. Look for compliance labels and documentation for RoHS, WEEE, and other standards if disposing of or recycling drives. Additionally, if the storage handles regulated data, verify support for encryption at rest (either via controller-based encryption or self-encrypting drive options) and ensure key management policies meet compliance requirements.