Micron has launched the 6550 ION SSD series boasting high read speeds and capacity in compact sizes. Customers will have the choice between three formats all offering the same specs and performance.
The 6550 ION SSDs will be available in U.2 (15mm), E1.L (9.5mm), and E3.S-1T (7.5mm) form factors. All carry the same specs and features, but in different sizes and shapes to suit a wider range of server designs. You’re probably familiar with U.2 and E3.S-1T formats, from the likes of Samsung and Solidigm.
U.2 drives are fairly common as they can leverage the SAS or SATA interfaces, making them a drop-in upgrade to many existing servers. The E3 family on the other hand is an updated design that will replace the U.2 2.5in form factor. Its different versions share the same 76mm height and feature connectors offering up to x16 PCIe connections for high-speed data transmission. The interface also supports up to 70W of power delivery to feed the drive.
Lastly, the E1.L format offers the highest capacity per drive, designed to fit inside the smallest 1U server racks. To do so, manufacturers spread memory chips and other components longitudinally, giving it a ruler-kind shape. It also boasts other advantages compared to other formats in aspects such as serviceability and thermal management. Interface-wise, the E1.L only carries up to eight PCIe lanes and supports up to 40W power delivery.
Since all 6550 ION models link via a Gen 5 x4 connection, performance remains identical on all formats. To be specific, Micron announces up to 12,000MB/s sequential read and 5,000MB/s sequential write. Not the max an x4 interface can muster, but close enough. Although write speed is slow in comparison, it’s still plenty fast, especially when considering the capacity on hand.
Indeed, Micron is offering some of the highest capacities in the market, 30.72TB and 61.44TB to be exact. And this while being 20% more efficient, consuming 20W to deliver its full speed. Impressive how much data we can pack inside compact drives nowadays. Consumer M.2 SSDs feel like floppy discs in comparison.
Performance aside, the 6550 ION SSD series uses the brand’s G8 TLC NAND. Micron has rated all drives for 2.5 million hours or one random drive write per day, complemented by a five-year warranty. In order to buy one, you’ll need to contact the company directly for a quote as these drives aren’t intended for consumers.