P49049-B21 HPE 1.6TB SSD DS SFF SAS-24GBPS Mixed Use Server

HPE P49049-B21 1.6TB SAS 24GBPS SSD 

Capacity and Form Factor

The HPE P49049-B21 delivers 1.6 terabytes of high-performance storage capacity in the industry-standard 2.5-inch Small Form Factor (SFF). This compact design allows for maximum storage density in HPE Gen10+ server environments, enabling organizations to maximize their storage capacity per rack unit while maintaining exceptional performance characteristics. The 2.5-inch form factor has become the preferred choice for modern data center deployments where space optimization and thermal efficiency are critical considerations.

Interface Technology: SAS-24Gbps

Featuring the cutting-edge SAS-24Gbps (Serial Attached SCSI 24 Gigabit per second) interface, this SSD delivers twice the bandwidth of previous generation 12Gbps SAS drives. The dual-port capability of SAS technology ensures redundant paths to the storage device, providing enhanced reliability and availability for mission-critical applications. The 24Gbps interface significantly reduces I/O bottlenecks and enables faster data transfer rates, making it ideal for I/O-intensive workloads and high-transaction environments where latency reduction is paramount.

Protocol Advantages

The SAS-24Gbps interface implements the SAS-4 protocol standard, which maintains backward compatibility with existing 12Gbps and 6Gbps SAS infrastructures while delivering substantial performance improvements. This protocol enhancement includes improved signal integrity, more efficient command processing, and enhanced error correction capabilities. The interface supports full duplex operations, allowing simultaneous read and write operations at maximum throughput, a critical feature for mixed workload environments.

Mixed Use Workload Optimization

Workload Endurance Characteristics

Designed specifically for Mixed Use workloads, the P49049-B21 SSD is engineered to handle balanced combinations of read and write operations typically found in enterprise applications such as database systems, virtualization platforms, and collaborative environments. Mixed Use drives feature enhanced endurance compared to Read-Intensive models, with higher Drive Writes Per Day (DWPD) ratings that ensure consistent performance and longevity under demanding write conditions. This balanced approach makes the drive suitable for applications that require both high throughput for read operations and sustained performance for write operations.

Enterprise Workload Compatibility

The Mixed Use design profile makes this SSD particularly well-suited for OLTP databases, Microsoft Exchange servers, virtualization hosts, and data analytics platforms. These applications typically generate workload patterns consisting of approximately 50% read operations and 50% write operations, perfectly matching the endurance and performance characteristics of Mixed Use SSDs. The drive's firmware includes advanced wear-leveling algorithms that distribute write operations evenly across all NAND flash memory cells, preventing premature wear on specific sectors and extending the overall lifespan of the storage device.

NAND Flash Technology

The P49049-B21 utilizes enterprise-grade Multi-Level Cell (MLC) or enterprise 3D TLC NAND flash memory specifically engineered for Mixed Use applications. This memory technology provides the optimal balance between cost, capacity, and endurance required for demanding server environments. The flash memory interfaces with an advanced controller that manages error correction, wear leveling, bad block management, and garbage collection operations transparently to the host system.

Hot-Swap Capability and Tray Integration

The inclusion of a factory-integrated tray enables seamless hot-swap functionality in compatible HPE Gen10+ servers. This design allows for drive replacement or expansion without requiring system shutdown, maintaining continuous operation of business-critical applications. The tray mechanism ensures proper alignment with backplane connectors, provides adequate cooling airflow, and includes visual indicators for drive status and activity monitoring. The hot-swap capability is an essential feature for maintaining high availability in enterprise environments where system uptime is measured in terms of business continuity and revenue protection.

HPE Gen10+ Server Integration

Generation 10+ Platform Optimizations

The P49049-B21 SSD is specifically validated and optimized for HPE Gen10+ servers, including ProLiant DL, ML, and Apollo platforms. This optimization encompasses electrical compatibility, thermal characteristics, firmware integration, and management stack interoperability. Gen10+ servers feature enhanced PCIe Gen4 capabilities and improved SAS controllers that fully leverage the performance potential of SAS-24Gbps storage devices. The drive firmware includes HPE-specific extensions that enable deep integration with HPE management ecosystems and provide enhanced telemetry data for proactive health monitoring.

HPE Infosight and Predictive Analytics

When deployed in HPE Gen10+ servers, these SSDs contribute data to HPE Infosight, the AI-powered operations platform that provides predictive analytics across the infrastructure stack. Infosight analyzes drive telemetry data to identify potential issues before they impact performance or availability, recommending proactive maintenance actions and optimizing workload placement based on actual usage patterns. This integration transforms storage management from reactive to predictive, significantly improving reliability and reducing operational overhead.

Performance in HPE Server Environments

In validated HPE Gen10+ configurations, the P49049-B21 delivers consistent low-latency performance with typical read latencies under 100 microseconds and write latencies under 50 microseconds. The drive maintains consistent I/O performance across mixed workload patterns, with sustained random read performance up to 400,000 IOPS and random write performance up to 180,000 IOPS depending on specific server configuration and workload characteristics. These performance characteristics make the drive suitable for tier-1 storage applications where consistent low latency is required for business-critical applications.

Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability

Enterprise-Class Endurance Ratings

The P49049-B21 is rated for extensive write endurance, typically supporting 3-5 full drive writes per day over the 5-year warranty period. This endurance rating is backed by advanced flash management techniques including dynamic and static wear leveling, advanced bad block management, and over-provisioning that exceeds standard consumer SSD configurations. The drive's Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) exceeds 2 million hours, demonstrating the enterprise-grade reliability engineered into every component and the manufacturing process.

Power Loss Protection Mechanism

Enterprise-grade power loss protection circuits ensure data integrity during unexpected power interruptions. These circuits include both immediate power holdup capabilities and engineered procedures for flushing write cache contents to non-volatile flash memory in the event of power failure. This protection extends to both user data and critical metadata, preventing corruption and ensuring rapid recovery when power is restored. The power loss protection design has been validated through extensive testing including abrupt power removal during maximum write workload conditions.

Use Cases and Application Scenarios

Virtualization and Cloud Infrastructure

In virtualized environments using VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, or other hypervisors, the P49049-B21 provides the consistent I/O performance required for hosting multiple virtual machines with varying workload characteristics. The drive's mixed use design profile is particularly well-suited for virtualization hosts where write-intensive operations like VM creation, snapshot operations, and vMotion migrations occur alongside read-intensive application workloads. The high IOPS capacity and low latency ensure that storage performance does not become a bottleneck in densely populated virtual environments.

Database and Transaction Processing

For relational database management systems including Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, SAP HANA, and MySQL, the consistent low-latency performance of the P49049-B21 ensures optimal transaction processing times and query performance. The drive's endurance characteristics support the write-intensive nature of database log files and transaction journals, while the high read performance accelerates data retrieval operations and reporting queries. In database applications, storage performance directly translates to application responsiveness and user productivity.