P21082-001 HPE 960GB SATA 6GBPS Smart Carrier SFF Read Intensive SSD.

Overview of HPE P21082-001 960GB SATA Intensive SSD

The HPE P21082-001 960GB SATA 6Gbps Smart Carrier SFF Read Intensive SSD delivers reliable, high-speed storage performance designed for enterprise servers and data centers. Built by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), this solid-state drive offers efficient data access and optimized read workloads, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking robust and durable storage solutions.

General Information

• Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
• Part Number: P21082-001
• Product Type: Solid State Drive (SSD)

Technical Specifications

• Storage Capacity: 960 GB
• Form Factor: 2.5-inch SFF (Small Form Factor)
• Interface: SATA 6 Gbps
• Firmware: Digitally Signed
• Carrier Type: HPE Smart Carrier
• Plug Type: Hot-Plug Compatible
• Workload Type: Read Intensive Applications
• Bundled With: HPE SmartDrive Carrier

Performance Specifications

Performance Metrics

• 30-Day Writes: 2628
• Endurance (DWPD): 1.50
• Data Transfer Rate: 6 Gb/s (External)

IOPS Performance

• Random Read IOPS (4KiB, Q=16): 66,000
• Maximum Random Read IOPS (4KiB): 776,000 @ Q64
• Random Write IOPS (4KiB, Q=16): 36,000
• Maximum Random Write IOPS (4KiB): 37,000 @ Q4

Connectivity and Expansion

• Interface Type: 1 x SATA 6 Gb/s
• Compatible Drive Bay: 2.5-inch SFF

Power Efficiency

• Power Consumption: 2.85 Watts (Typical)

Compatibility Information

The HPE P21082-001 960GB SSD is engineered for full compatibility with a wide range of HPE ProLiant and HPE Nimble Storage systems. This ensures seamless integration, stable performance, and optimized reliability for enterprise-grade storage infrastructures.

Supported HPE Nimble Storage Configurations

• dHCI Large Solution with HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 (2.5")
• Medium Solution with HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen10 Plus (2.5")
• Medium Solution with HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen10 (2.5")
• Small Solution with HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen10 (2.5")

Supported HPE ProLiant DL Series Models

• DL160 Gen10 Base / Entry / SMB (2.5")
• DL180 Gen10 Base / Entry / SMB (2.5")
• DL20 Gen10 Base / Entry / Performance / Solution (2.5")
• DL325 Gen10 Base / Entry / Plus / Plus All-NVMe Flash Node for Qumulo
• DL325 Gen10 Plus for Weka Expansion Tracking
• DL325 Gen10 SMB / Solution Editions
• DL360 Gen10 All Flash Server for Weka
• DL360 Gen10 Compute Server for Cohesity DataPlatform

Ideal Applications

Enterprise and Data Center Usage

• Database acceleration and caching
• Virtualized environments and cloud workloads
• Read-intensive applications
• HPE ProLiant and Nimble server infrastructure

HPE P21082-001 960GB 2.5-Inch SFF SATA Smart Carrier SSD

The HPE P21082-001 960GB 2.5-inch Small Form Factor Read Intensive Solid State Drive represents one of the most advanced and dependable enterprise-grade storage solutions engineered by Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Designed specifically for environments that demand reliability, speed, and efficient data management, this SSD combines the latest SATA 6Gbps interface technology with digitally signed firmware for enhanced data protection and system integrity. Built to meet the needs of enterprise data centers, virtualized workloads, and read-heavy applications, the HPE P21082-001 ensures smooth operation and consistent performance for a broad range of HPE servers and storage platforms.

Enterprise-Level Storage Architecture

Enterprise data storage has evolved significantly over the last decade, and solid-state drives like the HPE P21082-001 have become essential for businesses seeking faster and more reliable storage than traditional hard drives. This model leverages NAND flash memory and an advanced controller that optimizes data flow between the system and the drive, resulting in quicker access times and reduced latency. The 2.5-inch small form factor design provides a balance between compactness and capacity, making it an ideal choice for space-constrained server racks while still delivering large-scale data storage capabilities.

Unlike consumer-grade SSDs, the HPE P21082-001 is purpose-built for enterprise deployment. Its architecture supports sustained workloads typical in business environments, where systems must handle thousands of transactions per second. It offers consistent read and write speeds, even under demanding conditions, ensuring predictable system behavior during peak operations. The SATA 6Gbps interface further enhances compatibility with a broad range of server backplanes, while ensuring dependable throughput and seamless integration with existing infrastructure.

Digitally Signed Firmware Security Features

In today’s data-driven enterprises, security and firmware integrity are critical. The HPE P21082-001 SSD includes digitally signed firmware, a crucial feature that prevents unauthorized or malicious firmware tampering. This secure signature validation ensures that only verified HPE firmware can be installed on the drive, protecting sensitive business data from vulnerabilities and unauthorized modifications.

Firmware integrity plays a vital role in maintaining consistent performance and system reliability. By incorporating digitally signed firmware, HPE ensures that customers benefit from a drive that not only delivers optimal performance but also adheres to the highest standards of data protection. This technology helps organizations meet compliance requirements and reinforces overall cybersecurity resilience.

Advanced Smart Carrier Technology

Another key differentiator of the HPE P21082-001 SSD is its Smart Carrier technology. The Smart Carrier serves as an intelligent interface between the drive and the server chassis, providing visual indicators that communicate the drive’s operational status. LED indicators for drive activity, health, and encryption status allow system administrators to monitor the drive without removing it from the bay. This improves efficiency during maintenance and ensures minimal downtime when managing large storage environments.

The Smart Carrier design also enables hot-plug capability, allowing the SSD to be replaced or added while the system remains powered on. This reduces service interruptions and enhances the flexibility of IT operations. For data centers that prioritize uptime and availability, this feature is particularly valuable, ensuring that upgrades or replacements can occur seamlessly without disrupting ongoing workloads.

Read Intensive Workload Optimization

The HPE P21082-001 SSD belongs to the Read Intensive category, specifically tailored for environments where read operations significantly outnumber write operations. Typical use cases include database query retrieval, analytics reporting, and virtual machine boot drives. In these scenarios, the drive’s firmware and controller are optimized to provide fast random read performance, ensuring near-instantaneous access to frequently requested data.

The endurance rating of this model is designed to align with read-heavy workloads, striking a balance between performance and cost-effectiveness. With endurance measured in drive writes per day (DWPD), this SSD is built to handle sustained enterprise workloads over its lifespan, providing long-term reliability and performance stability. This makes it an excellent fit for business-critical applications that demand predictable behavior without overpaying for unnecessary write endurance.

High-Speed SATA 6Gbps Interface

At the heart of this drive’s connectivity is the SATA 6Gbps interface, a proven standard for enterprise-grade SSDs. This interface ensures consistent data transfer rates up to 6 gigabits per second, minimizing bottlenecks and ensuring that the system can fully utilize the SSD’s read and write capabilities. The SATA standard also ensures backward compatibility with existing HPE systems, allowing organizations to deploy the HPE P21082-001 SSD without costly infrastructure overhauls.

The drive’s compatibility with SATA-based controllers ensures seamless integration across a variety of server models, simplifying deployment and management. Furthermore, the SATA 6Gbps interface is optimized for latency reduction, which is critical for mission-critical applications requiring rapid response times. This combination of high-speed connectivity and reliability underscores the drive’s suitability for high-demand enterprise environments.

Small Form Factor Design Benefits

The 2.5-inch small form factor (SFF) design of the HPE P21082-001 SSD contributes to efficient space utilization in modern data centers. As rack density becomes increasingly important for IT scalability, SFF drives enable more storage to fit within limited physical space. This design also aids in energy efficiency, as smaller drives typically require less power and generate less heat compared to larger form factors.

The SFF configuration makes this SSD compatible with HPE ProLiant and Nimble systems that utilize 2.5-inch bays. Combined with its hot-plug support and Smart Carrier integration, the form factor provides both flexibility and accessibility. IT professionals can perform replacements or upgrades quickly, maintaining operational continuity while optimizing rack space and cooling efficiency.

Performance Characteristics

The HPE P21082-001 SSD delivers consistent high performance with impressive read and write input/output operations per second (IOPS). Capable of achieving up to 776,000 random read IOPS under optimal queue depths, this drive ensures rapid data access for enterprise workloads. For write operations, it maintains steady output performance, reaching up to 37,000 IOPS, ideal for maintaining stable application performance even under heavy load conditions.

Endurance, measured at 1.50 drive writes per day, provides sufficient longevity for applications that demand high read activity and moderate write intensity. Additionally, the drive’s sustained transfer rate of 6Gb/s enhances throughput for applications like virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), database indexing, and online transaction processing (OLTP). Its ability to deliver predictable performance levels under constant load makes it an essential component for business-critical computing environments.

Power Efficiency and Thermal Management

Power efficiency is another key benefit of the HPE P21082-001 SSD. Consuming only 2.85 watts during active operation, it contributes to lower total power consumption within data centers. Reduced energy use not only decreases operational costs but also minimizes heat output, leading to improved thermal management across the server environment. These energy-efficient characteristics make it suitable for organizations pursuing sustainable IT initiatives.

Efficient power management also contributes to extended component longevity, as lower operating temperatures result in less wear on internal components. This reliability translates into reduced maintenance costs and extended system uptime, providing both environmental and financial advantages.

Compatibility with HPE Systems

The HPE P21082-001 960GB SSD is fully compatible with a wide range of HPE ProLiant and Nimble Storage systems. It supports configurations such as HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen10, DL380 Gen10, DL325 Gen10 Plus, and DL20 Gen10 servers, as well as integrated dHCI Nimble Storage solutions. Its design ensures easy deployment across mixed server environments, enabling enterprises to standardize storage components without sacrificing flexibility or performance.

HPE engineers design every Smart Carrier SSD to work seamlessly with proprietary HPE management tools, including HPE Smart Storage Administrator and HPE Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) systems. These tools provide real-time health monitoring, performance tracking, and predictive failure alerts, allowing IT administrators to manage the drive proactively and prevent downtime. Such integration guarantees that organizations can rely on the HPE ecosystem to deliver consistent, enterprise-grade reliability.

Data Center Applications and Use Cases

The read-intensive design of the HPE P21082-001 makes it perfect for applications requiring fast access to large datasets with minimal write requirements. Examples include online analytics processing (OLAP), content delivery systems, and business intelligence workloads. In virtualized environments, the drive accelerates boot times, enhances responsiveness, and reduces data retrieval latency, resulting in improved user experiences.

Organizations utilizing hybrid or all-flash infrastructures also benefit from integrating this SSD into tiered storage architectures. When deployed as a cache or read-optimized layer, it enhances data retrieval speeds for frequently accessed information while reducing strain on higher-end write-intensive drives. This balance improves overall performance and extends the lifespan of storage systems.

Reliability and Endurance Under Continuous Workload

Enterprise-grade durability is at the core of the HPE P21082-001 SSD design. Its construction incorporates high-quality NAND flash components and advanced wear-leveling algorithms that evenly distribute write and erase cycles across memory cells. This ensures consistent endurance and prevents premature degradation. Error correction code (ECC) mechanisms provide additional data integrity by detecting and correcting bit errors before they affect stored data.

The 30-day write rating of 2628 confirms that this SSD is capable of sustaining heavy workloads over time without performance degradation. Combined with HPE’s rigorous quality control and validation testing, it ensures long-term reliability and reduced failure rates. For businesses seeking to maintain uninterrupted operations, such dependability is a key differentiator in overall storage strategy.

Integration with HPE SmartDrive Carrier Ecosystem

The inclusion of the HPE SmartDrive Carrier enhances the drive’s usability and manageability. SmartDrive technology integrates seamlessly with HPE’s ProLiant server bays, offering LED-based diagnostics, intuitive pull-tab design, and hot-swap capabilities. These features allow administrators to identify drive health and activity instantly, reducing troubleshooting time and ensuring faster replacements when necessary.

The SmartDrive Carrier also helps maintain proper airflow and cooling within server enclosures, contributing to better thermal balance and reduced energy waste. This integration showcases HPE’s commitment to engineering drives that work harmoniously within their hardware ecosystem, ensuring not only performance but also operational efficiency.

Thermal Efficiency and Cooling Dynamics

Thermal management is crucial in maintaining SSD longevity, and the HPE P21082-001 incorporates a heat-efficient design that ensures stable operation under continuous workload. The drive’s casing promotes effective heat dissipation, while its Smart Carrier design aligns with server airflow paths to maximize cooling. These features minimize the risk of thermal throttling, which can degrade performance during high activity levels.

Consistent thermal performance translates into improved reliability and extended lifespan. For environments running 24/7 operations such as financial institutions, healthcare systems, and telecommunications data centers, the ability to maintain stable operating temperatures is a significant advantage.

Performance Consistency Across Multiple Environments

The performance of the HPE P21082-001 SSD remains consistent across a variety of workloads and deployment configurations. Whether integrated into hybrid storage arrays, virtualized clusters, or standalone server environments, it delivers stable read and write speeds without significant performance dips. This consistency ensures that mission-critical applications such as ERP systems, online transaction databases, and customer-facing platforms maintain responsiveness under all conditions.

The predictable performance profile also simplifies capacity planning and performance tuning. IT administrators can allocate storage resources more efficiently, knowing that the drive’s throughput will remain steady even as workloads shift or scale upward.

Deployment in Cloud and Virtualized Platforms

Virtualization and cloud computing environments rely heavily on reliable, low-latency storage. The HPE P21082-001 SSD meets these requirements by offering fast random read speeds and low access latency. When used in VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Citrix XenServer infrastructures, it accelerates virtual machine boot times and enhances overall responsiveness. This translates to smoother user experiences and improved application performance.

Cloud service providers can also utilize this SSD to deliver predictable performance for read-intensive applications such as analytics services, web hosting, and online backups. Its balance of endurance and efficiency makes it a cost-effective solution for scaling cloud environments without sacrificing reliability.

Integration with Enterprise Data Management Strategies

As part of a comprehensive enterprise data strategy, the HPE P21082-001 SSD plays a critical role in improving access speeds and enhancing data availability. When integrated into tiered storage systems, it acts as a high-speed caching layer that accelerates read operations from slower storage tiers. This integration reduces latency across distributed systems, ensuring faster data delivery to end users and applications.

By incorporating HPE Smart Carrier SSDs into a unified storage framework, organizations achieve balanced performance and scalability across multiple data tiers. This enhances not only efficiency but also data resiliency, enabling smooth operation in dynamic business environments.