P40564-B21 HPE 960GB Nvme Gen4 BC Read Intensive PM1733 SFF Solid State Drive

The HPE P40564-B21 is a quintessential example of a high-performance NVMe Gen4 Read-Intensive SSD. This 960GB drive, part of HPE's broader PM1733 series co-developed with SK hynix, embodies the technological advancements of its category while integrating seamlessly into the HPE ecosystem. It is more than just a commodity SSD; it is a firmware- and hardware-optimized component for HPE ProLiant, Apollo, and Synergy servers, ensuring enhanced compatibility, manageability, and reliability. Its design addresses the core needs of IT administrators: predictable performance, simplified lifecycle management, and unwavering data integrity within HPE platforms.

Form Factor and Integration The U.2 SFF Advantage

The 2.5-inch U.2 form factor of the P40564-B21 is a strategic choice for enterprise deployment. It allows for dense storage configurations in a single 2U server or storage enclosure, maximizing terabytes per rack unit. The U.2 connector supports both PCIe NVMe and legacy SATA signaling, though this drive exclusively uses the PCIe interface. Its hot-swap capability is non-negotiable in enterprise environments, enabling drive replacement or expansion without system downtime. This drive is designed to slide directly into HPE's drive cages, with secure thermal and vibration management considered in the design.

Hyper converged Infrastructure (HCI) and Virtualization 

In P40564-B21 platforms like VMware vSAN or Microsoft Hyper-V, storage performance dictates overall cluster responsiveness. Read-intensive Gen4 NVMe drives are perfect for hosting the boot images and operating systems for dozens to hundreds of virtual machines. The high random read performance ensures fast VM boot storms and snappy OS operations, while the Gen4 bandwidth supports the data traffic between compute and storage nodes. They provide a high-performance tier that accelerates the most latency-sensitive aspects of a virtualized environment.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Value

The economic argument for this category is strong. While offering 80-90% of the read performance of a top-tier mixed-use drive, read-intensive models come at a notably lower cost. The TCO advantage extends beyond acquisition: lower power consumption, guaranteed compatibility reducing admin overhead, and HPE's predictive support helping to avoid unplanned downtime. Calculating the cost per IOP or cost per GB of read throughput often reveals the compelling value proposition of these drives.

The Imminent Shift to PCIe Gen5 and Beyond

PCI Express 5.0 and the emerging Gen6 standard promise to double bandwidth again. Future read-intensive drives will leverage this to potentially break the 12,000 MB/s sequential read barrier. This will further blur the line between memory and storage, enabling even larger in-memory databases and real-time analytics. The HPE P40564-B21 PM1733 series is part of a continuum that will see successors adopting these newer interfaces, requiring careful planning for platform longevity and upgrade paths.

QLC NAND Adoption and Capacity Growth

Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND is finding a natural home in the read-intensive category. Its higher density and lower cost per GB, coupled with acceptable read performance and endurance for many read-centric tasks, make it ideal for expanding capacities. Future iterations may offer 4TB, 8TB, and even larger capacities in the same 2.5-inch U.2 form factor, allowing for massive, fast read-optimized datasets in a single server.

Compatibility

The HPE P40564-B21 is engineered for deep compatibility with HPE servers. Key checks include. Ensuring the target HPE ProLiant (Gen10 Plus, Gen11), Apollo, or Synergy system supports PCIe 4.0 NVMe in the drive bays. Verifying the server's storage controller or NVMe HBA and backplane are configured for U.2 NVMe drives. Leveraging HPE-specific firmware that integrates with iLO for health alerts and One View for centralized management. Using an HPE-branded drive ensures all these elements are harmonized, reducing deployment risk and support complications.