NCS-5501-GOOGLE: Cisco’s Cloud-Optimized Ro
Architectural Design & Collaborative Engineer...
Technical Profile of the HCI-NVME4-15360M6=
The HCI-NVME4-15360M6= is a 15.36TB NVMe SSD designed for Cisco HyperFlex all-flash hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) systems, as confirmed by Cisco’s end-of-sale notice for HCI accessories. This U.2 15mm drive leverages Intel’s (now Solidigm) D7-P5520 series architecture, optimized for read-intensive workloads like virtualization, databases, and AI/ML training datasets. Key specifications include:
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4 with NVMe 1.4 protocol support
- Endurance: 1 Drive Write Per Day (DWPD) over 5 years
- Latency: 99.99% read operations under 450μs
- Form Factor: Hot-swappable 2.5″ U.2 compatible with Cisco UCS C480 M5/M6 and HyperFlex HX220c nodes
Performance Advantages in Cisco HCI Environments
Optimized for Mixed Workloads
The HCI-NVME4-15360M6= balances sequential and random I/O performance:
- Sequential Throughput: Up to 7.0 GB/s read and 3.8 GB/s write
- Random 4K IOPS: 1.1M read / 250K write
This makes it suitable for VMware vSAN and Microsoft Azure Stack HCI deployments where latency-sensitive VMs coexist with bulk storage operations.
HyperFlex-Specific Enhancements
Cisco’s HyperFlex integration adds unique optimizations:
- Memory Compression: Reduces storage footprint by 50% via in-line deduplication, minimizing the impact of 3x replication in HCI clusters.
- NVMe-oF Read Caching: Accelerates access to frequently used datasets across HyperFlex nodes using RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE).
Addressing Key User Concerns
“Is this SSD backward-compatible with older UCS C-Series servers like M4/M5?”
No. The HCI-NVME4-15360M6= requires PCIe 4.0 support and Cisco UCS Manager 4.2+ for firmware management. Older M4 servers with PCIe 3.0 slots cannot utilize its full bandwidth.
“How does it compare to higher-endurance SSDs like HCI-NVME4-7680M6=?”
| Metric | HCI-NVME4-15360M6= | HCI-NVME4-7680M6= |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 15.36TB | 7.68TB |
| DWPD | 1 | 3 |
| Random Write IOPS (4K) | 250K | 500K |
| Ideal Workload | Read-heavy | Mixed R/W |
| The 15360M6 prioritizes capacity over endurance, making it cost-effective for archival or cold data tiers. |
“What are migration options after Cisco’s end-of-sale announcement?”
Cisco recommends transitioning to Solidigm D7-P5620 SSDs for comparable performance. However, third-party alternatives require validation against HyperFlex’s distributed storage controller to avoid stability risks.
Procurement and Compatibility Notes
For enterprises requiring guaranteed compatibility, HCI-NVME4-15360M6= remains available through certified channels like itmall.sale. Ensure suppliers provide:
- Cisco Serviceable Component Tag (SCT) for firmware updates
- Smart NIC Compatibility: Works with Cisco VIC 1480/1495 adapters to avoid PCIe lane contention
Final Observations
The HCI-NVME4-15360M6= exemplifies the trade-offs inherent in large-capacity NVMe storage for HCI. While its 15.36TB density simplifies rack consolidation, the 1 DWPD endurance rating demands careful workload profiling—overloading it with write-intensive tasks like real-time analytics will prematurely degrade NAND cells. In HyperFlex environments leveraging 40G/100G networking, this SSD shines as a secondary tier for backup repositories or AI training datasets, but shouldn’t be the default choice for primary transaction logs. Always cross-reference Cisco’s HyperFlex Sizing Tool for workload-specific guidance before deployment.