P15849-002 HPE SSD 1.6TB SAS 12GBPS SFF Mixed Use Smart Carrier (SC)

• Usage Category: Mixed Use – ideal for both read and write-intensive applications
• Interface Type: SAS 12Gb/s (Serial Attached SCSI)
• Drive Capacity: 1.6 Terabytes (TB)
• Form Factor: Small Form Factor (SFF) – 2.5 Inch
• Drive Transfer Rate: Up to 1.2 Gigabytes per second
• Hot-Swap Support: Yes, designed for active system replacement
• Carrier Type: Bundled with HPE Smart Carrier (SC)

The HPE P15849-002 is a 1.6TB enterprise-class solid state drive designed for 2.5" SFF bays and engineered for mixed-use workloads. It uses a 12 Gigabit per second Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) interface and ships with HPE's Smart Carrier (SC) tray for seamless integration into HPE ProLiant and HPE blade/server storage arrays. This family targets customers who need a balance of endurance, latency, and consistent throughput for consolidated server and storage tasks.

Interface and throughput

The P15849-002 leverages the SAS 12Gb/s physical layer to deliver enterprise-grade link speeds and robust error handling. In the field, that SAS 12Gb/s connection translates into significantly higher available bandwidth compared with 6Gb/s SAS or SATA alternatives, making this SSD appropriate for latency-sensitive server workloads and dense virtualization environments. Because SAS is a dual-port capable protocol on many enterprise arrays, it also supports path redundancy and enterprise SAN topologies.

Latency and IOPS expectations

Mixed-use SSDs like the P15849-002 are designed to offer low and predictable latency under a broad mix of random reads and writes. Typical deployment expectations include thousands to tens of thousands of sustained IOPS for random workloads depending on queue depth, host controller, and platform configuration; sequential throughput scales with the SAS controller and backplane. For planning, use conservative IOPS-per-drive assumptions and validate under load in a staging environment since real-world performance varies with block size, queue depth, and concurrent operations.

Endurance and workload class

As a Mixed-Use (MU) drive, the P15849-002 balances write endurance with cost and performance. Mixed-Use SSDs typically provide higher endurance than read-intensive / read-optimized drives while remaining more cost effective than extreme endurance (E3) drives intended for relentless write workloads. This position makes them ideal for database logging, virtual machine storage, transactional applications, and general purpose tier-1 storage where steady write activity occurs alongside heavy reads. When designing capacity and warranty expectations, review the drive's DWPD (drive writes per day) and TBW figures from HPE/spec sheet or authorized reseller documentation. 

Firmware and management

HPE SSDs often have vendor-specific firmware and monitoring hooks for predictive failure analysis, SMART reporting, and drive health telemetry. When deploying at scale, include a firmware management plan to keep firmware aligned with server/array controller versions to avoid compatibility or feature regressions. Use HPE SPP (Service Pack for ProLiant) and HPE Smart Update tools to simplify firmware rollouts across an estate.

Environments and third-party use

While the drive is optimized for HPE platforms, the underlying SAS standard means it will operate in other server ecosystems that support 12Gb/s SAS and 2.5" SFF form factors. When using third-party enclosures, ensure the carrier and mechanical mounting are compatible, or install the drive without the HPE Smart Carrier if the rack/array vendor recommends. Note that warranty and support entitlements may vary if the drive is used outside HPE certified hardware. 

Converged infrastructure (HCI)

The 1.6TB capacity and mixed-use endurance profile make the P15849-002 an excellent candidate for boot/storage drives for hypervisors, local VM storage, and caching layers in HCI configurations. Its combination of capacity, endurance, and SAS performance supports dense VM consolidation without the latency penalties of spindle drives. For HCI designs, use sizing tools provided by the HCI vendor to calculate per-node SSD requirements and place mixed-use drives in tiers where write activity is moderate and predictable.

Databases and transactional systems

Transactional databases (OLTP) and write-heavy workloads benefit from the predictable low latency and stronger endurance of mixed-use SSDs. The P15849-002 can serve as primary data volumes, log volumes (with appropriate over-provisioning), or as part of a caching tier ahead of larger bulk storage. Pairing mixed-use drives with enterprise-grade controllers that support battery-backed write caching or NVRAM can further protect write integrity under power events.

Read-heavy application acceleration

For read-dominated workloads that still require occasional writes (e.g., large-scale web services, content delivery nodes, analytics staging), a mixed-use SSD is often more economical than a pure high-endurance drive. Configure RAID, caching policies, and read-prefetch carefully to maximize benefit and reduce unnecessary write amplification.

Smart Carrier and hot-swap serviceability

The Smart Carrier (SC) is HPE's tray/carrier form factor for 2.5" drives; it provides tool-less insertion/removal, drive LED indicators, and secure mechanical retention inside the server sled. In service scenarios where uptime is critical, the Smart Carrier simplifies RMA swaps and on-the-fly replacements. For blade enclosures and dense racks, the carrier also improves airflow routing and mechanical stability. 

The P15849-002 compares to SATA SSDs

Compared with SATA enterprise SSDs, SAS 12Gb/s drives like the P15849-002 typically offer higher sustained throughput, better error handling, dual-port capability (on some environments), and tighter integration with enterprise RAID controllers. SATA can be more cost-effective for lower tiers, but SAS often provides the reliability and performance headroom required for mixed-use server workloads.

Alternatives within HPE's portfolio

HPE offers a range of SSDs across mixed-use, read-intensive, and extreme endurance (write-intensive) classes and in both SAS and NVMe interfaces. When selecting an alternative, consider endurance class, interface, capacity ladder, and whether the drive supports Smart Carrier or other HPE mounting systems. Use HPE Quick Specs to map model numbers and cross-references to the P15849-002.