P24190-B21 HPE 960GB SATA 6GBPS Very Read Optimized 2.5-inch SFF SC 5210 SSD

Product snapshot HPE P24190-B21 960GB Read-Optimized SFF SSD

The HPE P24190-B21 is a 960GB, SATA 6.0Gb/s solid-state drive engineered for read-intensive workloads in enterprise and hyperscale environments. Packaged in a compact 2.5-inch SFF form factor and optimized for heavy read traffic, the drive delivers consistent low-latency access and dependable storage for content delivery, scale-out databases, and caching tiers.

Specifications & product identifiers

Below are the essential identifiers to include in bills of material, procurement lists, and support tickets.

• Brand: HPE
•  Part number: P24190-B21
• Capacity: 960GB
• Interface: SATA 6.0Gb/s (SATA III)
• Form factor: 2.5-inch SFF
• Optimized for: Very read-optimized workloads
• Family/Series: SC 5210 (designation for HPE compatibility and catalogue grouping)

Core attributes and high-value benefits

• Capacity & form factor: 960GB in a 2.5-inch small form factor (SFF), designed to fit dense server trays and blade systems.
• Interface: SATA 6Gb/s (SATA III), compatible with mainstream server controllers and HPE platforms.
• Read-optimized design: Tuned firmware and media allocation that prioritize read throughput and sustained read performance.
• Enterprise-grade reliability: Built to meet datacenter expectations for durability, error, and predictable behavior under heavy read loads.
• Manufacturer identity: Brand — HPE. Manufacturer part number — P24190-B21.

Key feature breakdown

Read-focused performance tuning

The P24190-B21 is calibrated to favor read operations. This means firmware, internal over-provisioning, and wear-leveling strategies are balanced to extend life and maintain consistent read latency under prolonged, read-heavy usage patterns.

• Optimized internal scheduling to favor sequential and random read paths.
• Reduced write amplification for mixed bursts by managing background maintenance during idle windows.
• Designed to sustain predictable performance in content-delivery and metadata lookup scenarios.

Compatibility & platform fit

The drive’s SATA 6Gb/s interface and 2.5" profile make it widely compatible with server bays, storage arrays, and HPE server families designed for SFF SSDs. Ideal for retrofit upgrades or as part of a new deployment where space efficiency and read throughput are priorities.

• Fits common drive sleds and hot-swap trays used in many rack and blade servers.
• Works with standard SATA controllers and HBA adapters supporting AHCI or legacy SATA modes.
• Firmware and part-number alignment with HPE inventory simplifies procurement and RMA pathways.

Durability, data integrity, and enterprise controls

HPE designs its enterprise-class drives with stronger error management, advanced ECC algorithms, and features tuned to minimize data corruption risk in production systems. While this model emphasizes read performance, it still implements protective measures to preserve data integrity during both normal operation and edge-case events.

• Advanced error correction and bad-block management to safeguard stored data.
• S.M.A.R.T. telemetry for predictive monitoring and automated health reporting.
• Power-loss protection strategies to reduce in-flight data risk during abrupt power events.

Technical considerations for architects and admins

Storage tiering & workload placement

Because the drive is read-optimized, it should be placed in tiers where reads dominate: read caches, CDN edge nodes, search index partitions, and archival read pools where occasional writes occur but are not the operational focus.

• Ideal roles: read cache wheels, content repositories, boot/system partitions, read-mostly database shards.
• Less ideal: write-heavy transaction logs, high-frequency transactional databases, or append-heavy data ingestion systems.
• Hybrid strategies: Combine these SSDs with write-optimized media in a tiered layout — fast writes on high-endurance drives, read delivery on P24190-B21 units.

Provisioning & over-provisioning strategy

Enterprise SSDs benefit from deliberate over-provisioning. Allocating a portion of capacity for spare area and background operations extends life and stabilizes performance. For the 960GB P24190-B21, adopt provisioning that aligns with your workload intensity and maintenance window cadence.

• Consider leaving 7–15% of logical capacity unallocated for heavy-read deployments to absorb wear and background housekeeping.
• Use drive-level and array-level policies to reserve space for garbage collection and wear leveling.

Firmware and compatibility checks

Keeping firmware aligned reduces interoperability surprises. Work with HPE’s support resources to obtain recommended firmware bundles and validated interoperability matrices for your server/array models.

• Test updated firmware on a pilot group prior to rolling out farm-wide.
• Document the manufacturer part (P24190-B21) alongside firmware version in your change logs.

Cooling & thermal considerations

Dense deployments raise thermal stress. The P24190-B21, like other SFF enterprise SSDs, performs best within specified temperature ranges; excessive heat can accelerate wear and reduce predictable performance.

• Ensure server chassis fans and airflow baffles are correctly configured.
• Monitor drive temperature via S.M.A.R.T. and platform telemetry and set up alerts for abnormal rise trends.

Use case taxonomy where this drive shines

Content delivery & media streaming

Read-optimized SSDs are natural fits for content delivery nodes that serve a high ratio of reads to writes — video chunks, static assets, and frequently requested media segments benefit from the P24190-B21’s tuned behavior.

Search indexes, metadata stores, and caches

Low-latency, consistent read times enhance user experience in search systems and metadata-heavy applications where lookup speed dominates perceived performance.

Boot and system volumes

For densely populated servers that require fast boot and deterministic access to OS images, read-prioritized SSDs provide faster OS load and smaller maintenance windows for reboots and OS provisioning.

Large-scale analytic read pools

Analytical clusters that perform repeated read passes over datasets (e.g., data marts and read-heavy reporting nodes) can leverage these drives to reduce job latency and increase throughput per rack unit.

Operational checklist for procurement and inventory

When acquiring P24190-B21 units, ensure your procurement pack captures the critical metadata and validation steps to simplify lifecycle management.

• SKU mapping: Record HPE part number P24190-B21 and cross-reference with vendor SKUs to avoid ordering mismatches.
• Warranty & support: Verify HPE warranty period, support tiers, and RMA policies at time of purchase.
• Batch testing: Validate a sample batch in your environment before large purchases; check for thermal and firmware interactions with your host platform.

Security, encryption, and data protection

Data-at-rest protection

Many enterprise SSDs support hardware-based encryption and secure erase functions. If encryption is needed for compliance, verify whether the specific model supports self-encrypting drive (SED) features and how they integrate with your key management system.

• Confirm whether the vendor offers SED or TCG Opal support for the P24190-B21 variant you purchase.
• Ensure secure-erase procedures are accepted by your compliance frameworks and documented in IT policy.

Secure decommissioning

Implement verified data sanitation routines when retiring drives. Use manufacturer-recommended secure-erase commands or physical destruction for drives leaving secure facilities.

Comparative positioning — why select a read-optimized SSD?

Cost-to-performance balance

Read-optimized SSDs typically offer a favorable price-per-gigabyte compared to high-endurance write-optimized models. For workloads where reads vastly outnumber writes, they provide superior total cost of ownership without compromising delivery speed.

Density and rack-level delivery

Higher capacity 2.5" SFF drives let you pack more usable terabytes per chassis when paired with high-density servers, maximizing storage per rack and reducing physical footprint.

Packaging and logistics notes

• Check shipping labels for MPN P24190-B21 and verify serial numbers upon receipt.
• Store drives in anti-static and humidity-controlled packaging until deployment.
• Record lot numbers to assist with any manufacturer advisories or firmware bulletins.

Optimization tips to maximize lifespan and stability

Reduce unnecessary writes

• Offload temporary writes and logs to a write-optimized tier or to DRAM-backed caching where appropriate.
• Avoid file-system-level behaviors that generate excessive metadata churn (e.g., atomically updating many tiny files).

Stagger maintenance windows

Plan background tasks (scrubbing, dedupe, garbage collection at array level) during low-traffic periods to reduce competition with foreground reads and keep tail latency low.

Data layout considerations

• Align partitions to logical block boundaries recommended by the array vendor to prevent misaligned IO patterns which can increase internal overhead.
• Use RAID or erasure-coded layouts tuned for read efficiency when redundancy is required.

Content snippets for product cards and galleries

• Short tagline: “HPE P24190-B21 — 960GB read-optimized SATA SSD for dense enterprise deployments.”
• Bullet summary for card view:
  • 960GB capacity • SATA 6Gb/s • 2.5” SFF
  • Engineered for read-heavy workloads and consistent low latency
  • HPE part: P24190-B21

Product overview: HPE P24190-B21 960GB SATA 6Gbps SSD

The HPE P24190-B21 is a 960GB enterprise-grade 2.5-inch small form factor (SFF) solid state drive designed and validated for HPE server platforms. Marketed as a Very Read Optimized (VRO) drive and carried in the Smart Carrier (SC) 5210 tray format, this SATA 6Gbps device targets read-heavy workloads where predictable low-latency random reads and sustained sequential reads matter most. It offers the capacity and interface common to modern mixed-storage server arrays while being tuned for dense, low-cost read performance in virtualized storage tiers, content delivery, analytics nodes and other read-centric infrastructures. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Key technical identity and form factor

This model uses the SATA III interface (6.0 Gbps signaling) and the 2.5-inch SFF footprint, making it compatible with most HPE ProLiant and Apollo servers that accept Smart Carrier 2.5" drive modules. The cartridge/tray (SC) packaging ensures hot-swap tray compatibility and proper backplane alignment for HPE enclosures. The drive family commonly appears with multiple firmware tunes (Read-Intensive, Very-Read-Optimized, Mixed Use) to match endurance and cost profiles to workload requirements. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Performance characteristics and read-optimized tuning

Read vs. write profile (VRO focus)

“Very Read Optimized” is not just a marketing term — it indicates firmware and flash-management choices that bias endurance allocation, over-provisioning and background housekeeping toward supporting a high proportion of read operations with minimal write amplification and predictable read latency. In practice, VRO drives are often preferred for object stores, vSAN capacity tiers, content caches, and read-heavy database replicas where frequent reads dominate and write cycles are limited. Compared with Mixed-Use or Write-Intensive SSDs, VRO drives typically offer lower cost-per-GB while maintaining enterprise-class reliability metrics for reads. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

IOPS, throughput and latency considerations

Although exact IOPS and throughput numbers vary between vendor multi-sourcing and firmware revisions, SATA VRO enterprise SSDs emphasize consistent random read IOPS and steady sequential throughput up to the practical limits of the SATA link. For architects designing read caching layers or archival acceleration, these drives deliver improved read performance over spinning media, with much lower seek-induced latency and predictable tail-latency behavior when compared to HDDs. When planning, assume the drive will excel at high-concurrency read tasks but plan any heavy write or logging workloads on higher-endurance Mixed-Use or Write-Intensive models. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Real-world impact

In a typical deployment—vSAN capacity tier, distributed object store node, or read-replica database—the P24190-B21 reduces read latencies, increases query/concurrency headroom, and cuts the I/O wait time that would otherwise be spent spinning disks. This can translate to fewer physical nodes needed to hit a target read QPS, reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) for read-dominated clusters.

Technical specifications and compatibility

Capacity, interface and carrier details

Officially listed at 960GB usable capacity for the P24190-B21 (noting that published capacities sometimes differ slightly in marketing vs. raw NAND counts), this model uses a SATA 6Gbps interface in a 2.5-inch SFF package with HPE Smart Carrier (SC) compatibility. The SC 5210 tray ensures it slides into standard HPE hot-swap bays and fits HPE ProLiant server drive backplanes that accept SC-mounted 2.5" drives. These compatibility details mean you can replace or upgrade server capacity without changing chassis or backplane hardware. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Endurance, workload rating and expected life

VRO-class drives are engineered with endurance ratings that assume heavier read than write usage. Endurance is typically expressed as Drive Writes Per Day (DWPD) or Total Terabytes Written (TBW) over the warranty period. For a VRO drive, endurance numbers are lower than Mixed-Use or Write-Intensive SSDs, so for systems performing heavy writes (logging, heavy dedupe re-writes, or intensive caching rebuild operations), administrators should evaluate endurance caps and consider higher-endurance models. Always consult the HPE QuickSpecs or datasheet for the P24190-B21 to confirm exact endurance/TBW numbers and warranty terms for the specific SKU and firmware revision prior to deployment. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

SMART, telemetry and firmware  

Enterprise SSDs including HPE-branded or OEM P24190-B21 equivalents expose SMART attributes and vendor telemetry for drive health monitoring. HPE servers and stacks (iLO, Onboard Administrator) can integrate drive health alerts, predictive failure warnings and firmware update mechanisms. Regular firmware updates from HPE or approved multi-vendor suppliers are recommended to ensure reliability, interoperability and performance consistency across fleet drives. When building monitoring dashboards, include SMART metrics like media wearout indicators, power-on hours, reallocated sectors, and current firmware version for proactive maintenance.

Use cases and workload match

Primary deployments for Very Read Optimized SSDs

The sweet spot for the P24190-B21 is clearly read-heavy workloads. Typical deployments include:

• vSAN capacity tiers and caching layers where reads dominate storage patterns.
• Content delivery or CDN edge nodes that serve many small random reads.
• NoSQL read replicas and search indices that require fast random read access.
• Analytics clusters (Hadoop/HDFS/NAS) where cold or warm datasets are read frequently but updated infrequently.
• Archive acceleration and object stores where retrieval performance is prioritized over write frequency.

When to choose Mixed-Use or Write-Intensive instead

If your design involves sustained high-rate writes, frequent large-scale deduplication or compression passes that generate a lot of write traffic, or intensive database logging, choose a Mixed-Use or Write-Intensive SKU to avoid endurance-limited service interruptions. Having a clear I/O profile and write-percentage forecast per drive will help you map the right HPE SSD family to each tier of your architecture. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Firmware, support and lifecycle  

Firmware updates and vendor support

HPE publishes datasheets, QuickSpecs and firmware update bundles for SSD families. Using the official HPE channels for firmware and support ensures the correct drive revisions and compatibility with server management firmware (iLO, Smart Storage firmware, etc.). For multi-vendor OEM-sourced drives carrying equivalent part numbers, verify that firmware is HPE-approved or that the reseller provides validated firmware packages. Document firmware baseline versions across your fleet and include firmware version as part of your change-control and maintenance windows. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Warranty, returns and EOL considerations

HPE typically sells enterprise SSDs with multi-year warranties and defined support channels; however, warranty terms may vary by SKU, region, and whether the drive is sold new, refurbished, or as a multi-vendor replacement. Before buying used or refurbished P24190-B21 units on secondary markets, check warranty transferability and the seller’s return policy. Also, confirm whether your HPE support contract requires original HPE-branded components for full coverage in the event of a service request. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

Procurement, pricing and sourcing guidance

Where to buy and how to evaluate SKUs

Authorized HPE resellers, distribution partners and HPE’s official store should be the first stops for new drives because they guarantee original firmware, warranty coverage and product validation. Secondary markets (refurbishers, classifieds) can offer lower prices but carry risks around unknown firmware, remaining endurance and limited warranty. When comparing quotes, look beyond price per GB—factor in endurance (TBW/DWPD), warranty period, firmware level and whether the vendor supplies an HPE Smart Carrier tray and documentation. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}

Cost-per-GB and total cost of ownership

For a read-optimized deployment, calculate TCO by combining purchase price, projected life (based on expected writes), maintenance windows, expected failures and energy savings relative to spinning disks. Often, SSDs reduce the number of servers required to meet I/O demands, which reduces licensing, power and cooling costs—key factors when advocating for an SSD refresh project.

Comparisons and alternatives

P24190-B21 vs. Mixed-Use and Read-Intensive siblings

HPE’s SATA SSD portfolio typically includes Read-Intensive, Very Read Optimized and Mixed-Use variants at multiple capacities. Read-Intensive models are tuned for even lighter write profiles and often cost less than Mixed-Use SKUs; Mixed-Use models balance read and write performance and feature higher endurance. When selecting between them, balance capacity needs, expected write intensity, and cost sensitivity. If your workload occasionally spikes in writes (rebuilds, large batch ingests), Mixed-Use may be the safer choice. For strictly archival-read or CDN-style workloads, VRO is usually the most cost-effective option. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}

When to consider NVMe instead

NVMe SSDs provide significantly higher IOPS and lower latencies than SATA SSDs and are now common in performance tiers and cache layers. However, NVMe typically comes at higher cost-per-GB; for large-capacity, read-dominated datasets where the SATA link is sufficient, P24190-B21-style drives remain a cost-effective option. Use NVMe for latency-critical hot tiers and SATA VRO for dense, read-oriented capacity tiers.

Operational best practices and monitoring

Routine checks and SMART monitoring

Integrate drive SMART metrics into your monitoring platform and set alerts for critical thresholds such as high media wear, uncorrectable read errors, or sudden spike in reallocated sectors. Combine drive-level monitoring with system-level checks (RAID controller logs, HPE iLO alerts) so you catch both device-level and array-level abnormalities. Schedule periodic checks after firmware updates and during maintenance windows to verify no regressions occurred. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}

Fleet management and lifecycle refresh

For large fleets, keep an asset register with part numbers, firmware versions, power-on hours and cumulative TBW. Rotate drives out of service proactively when they approach endurance thresholds or after firmware support EOL. Doing so reduces the chance of correlated failures and improves the predictability of capacity planning.

Security and data protection

Self-encrypting drives and data-at-rest

Some HPE SSD SKUs and variants include self-encrypting drive (SED) functionality or support for TCG Opal standards. If data-at-rest encryption is required for compliance or internal policy, choose SED-capable SKUs or implement encryption at the array or host level. Confirm that the P24190-B21 variant you purchase includes the encryption feature if that is a requirement—SATA SKUs are often available in both SED and non-SED flavors. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}

Secure erasure and end-of-life handling

Follow certified secure-erase procedures when decommissioning drives. Use vendor-provided secure-erase utilities or NIST-compliant wiping procedures to sanitize drives prior to disposal or resale. For drives returning to secondary markets, maintain a documented chain-of-custody and erasure certificates to meet compliance requirements.

Keyword strategy and on-page structure

For category pages describing the HPE P24190-B21 and its subcategory, use long-tail keywords and variations naturally through the copy: “HPE P24190-B21 960GB SATA VRO SSD”, “Very Read Optimized 2.5-inch SC 5210”, “HPE 960GB SATA 6Gbps enterprise SSD”, and common search intents like “buy HPE P24190-B21”, “P24190-B21 specs”, and “HPE VRO SSD compatibility”. Use H2 headings for main themes (specs, use cases, compatibility), H3 for supporting topics (installation, firmware), and H4/H5 for technical call-outs and lists. This structure improves crawlability and helps search engines surface specific details. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}

Content depth and conversion signals

Provide full technical specifications, compatibility matrices (server models and backplanes), warranty and support snippets, and clear procurement options (new vs refurbished). Include schema markup for product (Product, Offer, Review) on the page to increase the chance of rich results. Add customer-focused elements like “Which SKU is right for me?” decision trees and quick comparison tables to reduce buyer friction and improve conversion.

Can I mix VRO and Mixed-Use drives in the same storage pool

Mixing drive classes is technically possible but not recommended within the same RAID or erasure-coded group because differing performance and failure characteristics can lead to unpredictable rebuild times and uneven wear. Instead, group similar endurance/performance drives in the same tier and use software-defined tiering or policies to move data between tiers as needed.

Final procurement checklist

• Confirm the exact part number and firmware baseline (P24190-B21 SKU specifics).
• Validate Smart Carrier (SC 5210) tray compatibility with your chassis/backplane.
• Confirm endurance/TBW and warranty for the specific SKU (new vs refurbished).
• Plan monitoring and firmware update strategy via HPE tools (iLO, Smart Storage).
• Assess whether encryption (SED) is required and purchase SED-capable SKUs if needed.

For authoritative technical specifications and datasheets, reference HPE’s official product documentation and QuickSpecs; for purchasing and part-number variants consult authorized HPE resellers and distributors to confirm pricing, warranty status and availability.