​​What Is the E-SSD-SATA-2TB=?​​

The ​​Cisco E-SSD-SATA-2TB=​​ is a high-endurance, 2.5-inch SATA III solid-state drive engineered for Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) servers and HyperFlex hyperconverged infrastructure. Designed for read-intensive workloads, it delivers ​​535 MB/s read and 500 MB/s write speeds​​ with a 6 Gb/s interface, making it ideal for virtualization, databases, and archival storage.

Key specifications:

• ​​Capacity​​: 2TB (1.92 TiB usable)
• ​​Form Factor​​: 2.5-inch, 7mm height
• ​​Endurance​​: 1.3 DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day) over 5 years
• ​​Compatibility​​: UCS C-Series (C220 M5/M6, C480 ML), HyperFlex HX220c M5

​​Performance Benchmarks: E-SSD-SATA-2TB= vs. HDDs and Consumer SSDs​​

​​Latency Reduction​​

In Cisco’s internal testing, the E-SSD-SATA-2TB= achieved ​​<0.5 ms read latency​​ under 70% workload saturation—​​10x faster​​ than 10K RPM SAS HDDs. This ensures consistent performance for latency-sensitive applications like VMware vSAN or Microsoft SQL Server.

​​IOPS Consistency​​

While consumer-grade SSDs often throttle speeds after sustained writes, Cisco’s drive maintains ​​75,000 random read IOPS​​ even at 80% capacity utilization. This is enabled by:

• ​​Enterprise-Grade TLC NAND​​: 512-bit AES encryption with 3K P/E cycles.
• ​​Power Loss Protection (PLP)​​: Capacitors buffer in-flight data during outages.

​​Durability and Warranty Considerations​​

The E-SSD-SATA-2TB= is rated for ​​2.3 PBW (Petabytes Written)​​ over its lifespan, equivalent to writing 1.3TB daily for five years. Cisco backs this with a ​​5-year limited warranty​​, contingent on:

• ​​Operating Temperatures​​: 0°C to 70°C (ambient).
• ​​Firmware Updates​​: Use Cisco UCS Manager for automated health checks.

​​Deployment Scenarios and Use Cases​​

​​1. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)​​

In a 500-user VDI deployment, Cisco measured ​​40% lower boot times​​ compared to SAS SSDs, reducing VM stall incidents by 62%.

​​2. Cold Data Archiving​​

Despite being read-optimized, the drive’s ​​1.3 DWPD endurance​​ supports weekly full backups for 200TB datasets without exceeding annual wear limits.

​​Installation Best Practices​​

​​Hardware Compatibility​​

• ​​Critical Note​​: The E-SSD-SATA-2TB= is incompatible with UCS B-Series blade servers due to backplane voltage limits.
• ​​Supported Adapters​​: Use Cisco 12G SAS RAID controllers (e.g., UCS-RAID-12G) for optimal performance.

​​RAID Configuration Tips​​

• ​​RAID 10​​: Recommended for databases to balance redundancy and speed.
• ​​RAID 5​​: Avoid for write-heavy workloads due to parity calculation overhead.

​​Troubleshooting Common Issues​​

​​Drive Not Detected in UCS Manager​​

• ​​Root Cause 1​​: Outdated firmware.
  • ​​Solution​​: Update to ​​Cisco SSDSC2KG019T8 Firmware v1132​​ or later.
• ​​Root Cause 2​​: Improperly seated drive.
  • ​​Solution​​: Reinstall with a ​​torque screwdriver (0.6 N·m)​​ to prevent flex.

​​Degraded Write Speeds​​

If performance drops below 300 MB/s:

• ​​Check SMART Logs​​: Monitor Media_Wearout_Indicator via Cisco UCS CIMC.
• ​​Background Activities​​: RAID rebuilds or encryption scans may temporarily throttle throughput.

​​Why Avoid Third-Party SSDs in Cisco Systems?​​

Cisco’s SSDs undergo ​​1,000+ validation tests​​ for firmware compatibility, thermal resilience, and error handling. Generic drives lack:

• ​​Customized UEFI Drivers​​: Critical for seamless integration with UCS Manager.
• ​​Predictive Failure Analytics​​: Cisco’s SSDs trigger proactive alerts at 85% wear level.

For guaranteed compatibility, purchase the E-SSD-SATA-2TB= from ​​itmall.sale’s verified Cisco storage inventory​​.

​​Final Thoughts​​

The E-SSD-SATA-2TB= isn’t just another SSD—it’s a strategic asset for enterprises prioritizing uptime and predictable performance. While the upfront cost exceeds consumer SSDs, the avoidance of unplanned outages and firmware conflicts justifies the investment. In hybrid cloud environments where data gravity matters, this drive ensures on-prem workloads keep pace with cloud-native tiers.