MZQLB7T6HALA-00W07 Samsung PM983A PCI-E 3.0 x4 NVMe 7.68TB Internal SSD

Samsung PM983a Enterprise NVMe SSD

The Samsung MZQLB7T6HALA-00W07, commercially known as the PM983a, represents the pinnacle of enterprise-grade storage technology. This 7.68TB 2.5-inch U.2 form factor NVMe SSD is engineered specifically for data centers, enterprise servers, and high-performance computing environments where reliability, endurance, and consistent performance are non-negotiable requirements.

Form Factor and Interface Details

Utilizing the standardized 2.5-inch U.2 (SFF-8639) form factor, the PM983a ensures broad compatibility with enterprise server platforms and storage arrays. The drive leverages the PCI Express 3.0 x4 interface with NVMe 1.3 protocol, delivering significantly higher throughput and lower latency compared to SATA-based alternatives. This combination provides the mechanical compatibility of traditional 2.5-inch drives with the performance benefits of cutting-edge NVMe technology.

Capacity and NAND Technology

With a substantial 7.68TB capacity, this drive utilizes Samsung's industry-leading 3-bit MLC (TLC) V-NAND technology. This advanced NAND architecture balances cost-effectiveness with exceptional endurance and performance characteristics, making it ideal for read-intensive and mixed-use enterprise workloads. The sophisticated controller architecture ensures consistent performance across the entire capacity range.

Performance Metrics

Sequential Performance Metrics

The Samsung MZQLB7T6HALA-00W07 PM983a delivers exceptional sequential read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 3,200 MB/s. These performance figures represent a significant advancement over SATA SSDs and earlier generation PCIe solutions, enabling rapid data transfer for large file operations, database backups, and content streaming applications.

Random I/O Performance

Where the PM983a truly excels is in random I/O performance, critical for enterprise applications. The drive achieves up to 750,000 random read IOPS and 170,000 random write IOPS at queue depths optimized for enterprise workloads. This exceptional random performance ensures responsive operation under heavy concurrent access patterns typical in virtualized environments and database servers.

Endurance and Reliability Specifications

Terabytes Written Rating

The MZQLB7T6HALA-00W07 PM983a 7.68TB model boasts an impressive endurance rating of 17.5 petabytes written (PBW). This exceptional endurance makes it suitable for write-intensive applications including write caching, logging, and transaction processing systems.

Mean Time Between Failures

Samsung rates the PM983a with a Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) of 2 million hours, reflecting the drive's exceptional reliability and robust construction. This industry-leading reliability metric ensures minimal downtime and maximum availability for critical business applications and services.

Error Correction and Data Integrity

Advanced error correction capabilities, including Samsung's proprietary ECC algorithm and end-to-end data protection, ensure data integrity throughout the data path. The drive features power loss protection with integrated capacitors that provide sufficient hold-up time to commit pending writes to non-volatile memory during unexpected power interruptions.

Enterprise Features and Management Capabilities

NVMe Management Interface

The MZQLB7T6HALA-00W07 PM983a fully supports the NVMe Management Interface, enabling comprehensive out-of-band management through standard protocols. This allows system administrators to monitor drive health, firmware status, and performance metrics without requiring host system resources or impacting application performance.

Samsung-specific Enterprise Features

Samsung has incorporated several proprietary technologies including Turbo Write technology for sustained write performance, advanced garbage collection algorithms, and sophisticated wear-leveling mechanisms. These features work in concert to maintain optimal performance throughout the drive's lifecycle while maximizing endurance and reliability.

Security and Encryption

Enterprise-grade security features include TCG Enterprise OPAL 2.0 compliance and AES 256-bit hardware encryption. These security mechanisms protect sensitive data at rest while maintaining performance, making the drive suitable for regulated industries and security-conscious organizations.

Use Cases and Application Scenarios

Data Center and Cloud Deployment

The MZQLB7T6HALA-00W07 PM983a excels in hyperscale data center environments where density, power efficiency, and consistent performance are paramount. Its 7.68TB capacity provides excellent storage density while the U.2 form factor enables high-density server configurations. The drive's power efficiency reduces total cost of ownership in large-scale deployments.

Virtualization and Database Applications

For virtualized environments running VMware, Hyper-V, or KVM, the PM983a delivers the consistent low latency required for hosting multiple virtual machines with demanding storage requirements. Database applications including SQL Server, Oracle Database, and MySQL benefit from the drive's exceptional random I/O performance and low latency for transaction processing and analytics workloads.

Streaming Performance

The high sequential read performance makes the PM983a ideal for content delivery networks, video streaming platforms, and media editing workflows. The drive can serve multiple high-definition video streams simultaneously while maintaining responsive performance for other concurrent operations.

Power Consumption

Power efficiency is a key consideration in enterprise deployments. The PM983a demonstrates optimized power characteristics with active read power consumption of approximately 7.5W and active write power around 8.5W. During idle states, power consumption drops significantly to below 1.5W, contributing to reduced energy costs in large-scale deployments.