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| Brand | Samsung |
|---|---|
| Model | SM863a |
| Capacity | 480 GB |
| Usage Class | Write Intensive / Mixed Use |
| Host Interface | SATA 6Gb/s |
|---|---|
| Total Interface Bandwidth | 6 Gb/s |
| Form Factor | 2.5 |
|---|
| NAND Flash | Samsung V-NAND 2bit MLC |
|---|---|
| Drive Writes Per Day | 3.6 |
| Total Bytes Written | 3088 TBW |
| Sequential Read | 510 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Sequential Write | 485 MB/s |
| Random Read IOPS | 95000 |
| Random Write IOPS | 28000 |
| Average Latency | 40 μs |
| Mean Time Between Failures | 2 Million Hours |
|---|---|
| Uncorrectable Bit Error Rate | 1.0×10⁻¹⁷ |
| Power Loss Protection | Yes |
| MPN | MZ-7KM480E |
|---|
Compared with the MZ-7KM480E, the MZ-7KM480N SM863a delivers a clear generational step in sustained enterprise endurance and steady-state responsiveness, combining Samsung V-NAND 2-bit MLC with 3.6 DWPD, 3,088 TBW, 510/485 MB/s throughput, and up to 95,000/28,000 IOPS on the same SATA 6Gb/s interface. Its unique value in the 480 GB class is giving write-intensive servers and mixed-workload virtualization nodes near-SAS-grade durability and highly consistent latency in a drop-in SATA SSD, making it a stronger choice than prior-generation SATA enterprise drives where endurance, predictability, and fleet compatibility matter most.
With an endurance rating of 3,088 TBW and 3.6 DWPD, the MZ-7KM480N is built for sustained write-intensive use far beyond typical client workloads. In practical terms, for common OS, application, and general business data workloads, it can comfortably serve as a system or boot drive for many years, including long-term deployment scenarios of around 10 years under normal usage conditions. For enterprise reliability, the drive includes power-loss protection, which helps preserve in-flight data and protects metadata integrity if power is suddenly interrupted. Its ultra-low UBER of 1.0E-17, together with a 2 million hour MTBF, indicates a very low probability of uncorrectable read errors and supports dependable operation in business-critical environments.
1. The SATA 6Gb/s interface, paired with near-link-saturating sequential read performance, makes this drive an easy drop-in upgrade for legacy enterprise servers that need faster boot, restore, and bulk data access without changing platform architecture.
2. Its strong random read capability supports virtualization clusters, OLTP databases, and metadata-heavy workloads by serving far more small-block requests concurrently and reducing storage-side bottlenecks.
3. A 3.6 DWPD endurance rating gives enterprises the write headroom needed for cache tiers, logging systems, and mixed-use transactional workloads where sustained daily rewrites are expected.
4. Samsung V-NAND 2bit MLC provides the durability and program/erase stability that enterprise operators value for consistent performance and longer service life under intensive duty cycles.
5. With a typical latency of just 40 µs, the drive helps applications respond faster to read requests, improving transaction responsiveness and tail-latency behavior in business-critical environments.
For the Samsung MZ-7KM480N 480 GB enterprise SSD, the nearest lower capacity in the same family is typically 240 GB, and the nearest higher capacity is 960 GB. In this series, sequential read/write performance and random IOPS are generally very close across these capacities, which is standard for enterprise SATA SSDs. The 480 GB model sits in the sweet spot of the lineup. Compared with the 240 GB version, it offers much better capacity headroom for OS images, logs, swap, and steady application growth without quickly hitting utilization limits. Compared with the 960 GB option, it usually delivers the most attractive balance of acquisition cost, usable space, and enterprise-grade performance consistency. It is especially well suited for mid-scale deployments, such as hosting boot and application volumes for around 40 to 60 general-purpose virtual servers.
Q: Is MZ-7KM480N suitable for a write-heavy database server?
A: Yes. The MZ-7KM480N is well suited for write-heavy database workloads, thanks to its 3.6 DWPD endurance, 3088 TBW rating, Samsung 2-bit MLC V-NAND, and low 40 µs typical latency.
Q: How many full drive writes per day can it actually endure over its warranty period?
A: This model is rated for 3.6 drive writes per day, meaning the full 480 GB capacity can be written about 3.6 times daily throughout its warranty period under normal enterprise conditions.
Q: Does it include power loss protection (PLP) and why is that critical?
A: Yes, it includes power loss protection. PLP is critical in enterprise environments because it helps preserve in-flight data and metadata during sudden outages, reducing corruption risk and improving system reliability.
Q: What RAID level is recommended for this SSD?
A: The recommended RAID level depends on workload goals. RAID 1 suits redundancy, RAID 10 is ideal for high-performance databases, and RAID 5 or 6 may fit capacity-focused environments with acceptable write overhead.