ExaDrive NL: 64 TB SSD to replace nearline HDD

ExaDrive NL 64 TB SSD

The storage provider NimbusData currently offers the largest SSD storage capacities. The ExaDrive DC with up to 100 TB is now followed by the ExaDrive NL with up to 64 TB. The new SSD series uses QLC instead of TLC memory, which is noticeable in a lower price per terabyte.

3.5-inch SSDs with huge memory volume

As with the ExaDrive DC, NimbusData relies on the 3.5-inch form factor known from hard drives as well as SATA or SAS as an interface. The enterprise HDDs currently available with up to 18 TB are not only significantly exceeded in terms of storage space, but also in terms of performance. In the top, data with 500 MB/s should be read and written with 460 MB/s. The biggest performance advantage of the SSD technology lies in the latency of file access, which is specified with 0.1 ms. According to the data sheet (PDF), the SAS variants with dual-port function are significantly slower than their counterparts with SATA.

Thanks to QLC memory, the price drops

Internally, several boards with flash memory should be inserted again, the main difference to the older series is the change to cheaper QLC-NAND with four bits per memory cell. This is noticeable in the price: The ExaDrive NL costs 2,900 US dollars with 16 TB, 5,600 US dollars with 32 TB and 10,900 US dollars with 64 TB of usable space. The price is between 170 and 181 US dollars per terabyte. The ExaDrive DC, on the other hand, costs 250 to 400 US dollars per terabyte, with the 40,000 US dollar expensive 100 TB model being the largest SSD in the world to date, a high surcharge.

ExaDrive NL vs Nearline-HDD from the manufacturer’s point of view

Enterprise HDDs are significantly slower, but cost only 20 to 30 euros per terabyte in free trade. Ultimately, however, it should pay off for operators of data centers to switch to the large SSDs, because these do tasks not only significantly faster, but also save space and energy, which in turn reduces operating costs.

Compromises in the guarantee

However, switching to QLC memory means compromising the warranty. This is also five years, but expires prematurely if a write volume of 0.2 to 0.6 drive writes per day (DWPD) is exceeded. For the ExaDrive DC with TLC memory, however, no restriction is made on the write volume.