| 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 earlier MZ-7KM480E, the Samsung SM863a (MZ-7KM480NE) advances to Samsung V-NAND 2-bit MLC and delivers a more endurance-optimized enterprise SATA profile, with 3.6 DWPD and 3,088 TBW in a 480GB capacity. With up to 510/485 MB/s sequential performance and 95,000/28,000 IOPS random read/write, it is a strong fit for write-intensive virtualized servers, database logs, and mixed enterprise workloads that need higher sustained reliability than typical SATA SSDs.
With an endurance rating of 3088 TBW and 3.6 DWPD, the MZ-7KM480NE is designed to sustain heavy write-intensive enterprise workloads over its service life. In practical terms, this level of endurance is far beyond typical OS, boot, and general application drive usage, making it a dependable choice for long-term deployment with substantial margin under normal data center operating conditions. The drive also includes power loss protection (PLP), which helps preserve in-flight data and protect mapping tables during unexpected power interruptions, reducing the risk of corruption and unplanned recovery events. Its enterprise-class UBER of 1.0E-17, together with a 2 million hour MTBF, indicates a very low probability of unrecoverable bit errors and strong overall reliability for business-critical storage environments.
1. The SATA interface enables drop-in deployment across legacy enterprise servers and storage arrays, making this drive a low-risk upgrade for broad installed fleets.
2. Its sequential read performance accelerates full-dataset scans, backup restores, and large file delivery in read-centric business workloads.
3. Strong random read capability sustains fast response under highly concurrent access, which is especially valuable for OLTP databases and virtualized environments.
4. A 3.6 DWPD endurance rating supports intensive daily rewrite cycles, giving enterprises the write headroom needed for logging, caching, and mixed-use applications.
5. Samsung V-NAND 2-bit MLC, paired with very low typical latency, delivers the consistency, media reliability, and predictable QoS required for mission-critical enterprise storage.
Lower capacity reference: 240 GB Higher capacity reference: 960 GB In the Samsung SM863 family, the 480 GB model sits at the sweet spot of the lineup. Compared with the 240 GB version, it gives noticeably more headroom for OS growth, patching, logs, and overprovisioning, reducing capacity pressure in steady enterprise use. Compared with the 960 GB option, it preserves nearly the same enterprise SATA performance profile while keeping acquisition cost and per-node storage budget under better control. It is especially well suited for mid-scale virtualization clusters, such as hosting boot and application volumes for about 40 to 60 general-purpose virtual machines.
Q: Is MZ-7KM480NE suitable for a write-heavy database server?
A: Yes. The MZ-7KM480NE 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 full drive writes per day. For a 480 GB SSD, that equals about 1.73 TB of writes daily across its supported warranty endurance period.
Q: Does it include power loss protection (PLP) and why is that critical?
A: Yes, it includes power loss protection. PLP is critical because it helps preserve in-flight data and mapping tables during sudden outages, reducing corruption risk in enterprise and database environments.
Q: What RAID level is recommended for this SSD?
A: The recommended RAID level depends on your priority. RAID 1 or RAID 10 is typically preferred for databases, as they provide strong redundancy, solid performance, and better fault tolerance.