345-BGQV Dell M.2 PCI-E 4.0 X4 NVMe Read Intensive TLC 480GB SSD

Dell 345-BGQV 480GB Enterprise NVMe SSD

Enterprise-Grade Storage

The Dell 345-BGQV represents the pinnacle of enterprise storage technology, specifically engineered for demanding server environments. This 480GB M.2 NVMe solid state drive combines PCIe 4.0 interface speeds with read-intensive TLC NAND flash memory, creating an optimal balance between performance, endurance, and reliability for data center applications.

Form Factor and Interface Specifications

M.2 2280 Physical Dimensions

Utilizing the standardized M.2 2280 form factor (22mm wide × 80mm long), the Dell 345-BGQV provides high-density storage in a compact package. This space-efficient design allows for maximum storage capacity within the constrained physical environments of PowerEdge servers while maintaining optimal thermal characteristics for sustained performance.

PCI Express 4.0 x4 Interface

The drive leverages the full bandwidth of PCIe 4.0 x4 interface, delivering theoretical transfer speeds of up to 64 Gb/s (8 GB/s) – doubling the bandwidth available with previous generation PCIe 3.0 interfaces. This high-speed interface ensures that storage performance never becomes a bottleneck in data-intensive enterprise workloads.

Key Architecture

NVMe Protocol Implementation

The Dell 345-BGQV fully implements the NVMe 1.4 protocol specification, which provides significant advantages over legacy storage protocols. NVMe reduces command overhead through optimized command queues (up to 64K commands per queue) and streamlined I/O processing, resulting in dramatically reduced latency and improved IOPS performance for random access workloads.

TLC NAND Flash Technology

Read-Optimized Memory Architecture

This enterprise SSD utilizes 3D TLC (Triple-Level Cell) NAND flash memory specifically configured for read-intensive applications. While maintaining the cost-effectiveness of TLC technology, Dell has implemented advanced error correction, wear leveling, and read-retry algorithms to ensure enterprise-grade reliability and endurance suitable for server environments.

Enterprise Endurance Characteristics

The read-intensive nature of this drive is reflected in its endurance specifications, which are optimized for workloads where write operations represent a smaller percentage of total I/O activity. This design approach allows for optimal performance in scenarios such as database querying, web serving, and virtual desktop infrastructure where read operations dominate.

Performance Specifications

Sequential Read and Write Performance

The Dell 345-BGQV delivers exceptional sequential performance with read speeds reaching up to 6,800 MB/s and write speeds up to 2,100 MB/s. These performance metrics ensure rapid data access for large file operations, database backups, and streaming media applications commonly found in enterprise environments.

Random I/O Performance

4K Random Read Operations

For random 4K read operations, the drive achieves up to 750,000 IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second), making it exceptionally well-suited for database applications, virtualization workloads, and other scenarios requiring high random read performance across multiple simultaneous access patterns.

4K Random Write Operations

The random 4K write performance reaches up to 180,000 IOPS, providing sufficient write capability for operating system paging, log files, and metadata updates while maintaining the read-optimized characteristics that define this product category.

PowerEdge Server Compatibility

14th Generation PowerEdge Support

The Dell 345-BGQV is fully certified and optimized for 14th Generation PowerEdge servers, including the R740, R740xd, R740xd2, T640, and other models in the 14G portfolio. When installed in compatible 14G systems, the drive leverages Dell-specific firmware optimizations for enhanced performance and reliability.

15th Generation PowerEdge Integration

For 15th Generation PowerEdge servers such as the R750, R750xa, and R7525, the 345-BGQV SSD provides native compatibility and takes full advantage of the improved PCIe 4.0 implementation in these systems. The drive is recognized and managed through integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) for comprehensive monitoring and management.

16th Generation PowerEdge Optimization

When deployed in 16th Generation PowerEdge servers including the R760, the drive benefits from enhanced thermal management capabilities and improved power efficiency features of the latest server architecture. The drive firmware includes specific optimizations for the memory buffer management and I/O scheduling enhancements present in 16G systems.

17th Generation PowerEdge Forward Compatibility

The Dell 345-BGQV maintains full compatibility with 17th Generation PowerEdge servers, ensuring investment protection and upgrade flexibility. The drive's firmware includes forward-compatible features that leverage the advanced storage capabilities of Dell's latest server platforms while maintaining backward compatibility with earlier generations.

Advanced Data Protection Features

End-to-End Data Protection

The drive implements comprehensive end-to-end data protection, maintaining data integrity checks from the host interface through the DRAM buffer to the NAND flash memory. This protection scheme detects and corrects data corruption that might occur during transfer between various components within the storage subsystem.

Power Loss Protection Circuitry

Capacitor-Based Data Preservation

Enterprise-class power loss protection is implemented through strategically placed capacitors that provide sufficient temporary power to complete in-progress write operations and flush volatile cache data to non-volatile NAND memory during unexpected power interruptions. This feature prevents data loss and maintains filesystem integrity.

Advanced Power Management Integration

The drive's power loss protection system integrates with PowerEdge server power management features, providing early warning of impending power events and enabling graceful shutdown procedures when operating on uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems during extended power outages.

Power Efficiency

To maintain optimal operating temperatures without compromising reliability, the Dell 345-BGQV implements sophisticated dynamic thermal throttling algorithms. These algorithms monitor NAND flash and controller temperatures, adjusting performance characteristics to remain within specified thermal envelopes while minimizing impact on application performance.

Power Consumption Specifications

Active Operation Power

During active read/write operations, the drive typically consumes between 5.5W and 7.5W, varying based on workload intensity and environmental conditions. This power efficiency contributes to reduced operational costs in large-scale deployments and supports density-optimized server configurations.

Idle Power Efficiency

In idle states, power consumption drops to approximately 35mW, making the drive exceptionally efficient during periods of low activity. This low idle power consumption is particularly beneficial in virtualized environments where storage resources may experience variable utilization patterns.

Use Cases and Application Scenarios

Drive Applications

As a boot device in PowerEdge servers, the Dell 345-BGQV provides rapid system startup and reduced service initialization times. The high random read performance accelerates operating system and hypervisor loading, while the enterprise endurance ensures reliable operation throughout the server's deployment lifecycle.

Database Acceleration

For database applications, particularly read-intensive workloads such as reporting databases, data warehouses, and business intelligence systems, the drive delivers exceptional performance for query processing and data retrieval operations. The low latency and high IOPS capabilities significantly reduce query response times.

Hypervisor Storage

In virtualized environments, the 345-BGQV excels as storage for hypervisor installation and virtual machine images. The high random read performance accelerates virtual machine startup and deployment operations, while supporting hundreds of concurrent virtual machines in VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) scenarios.