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| Brand | Samsung |
|---|---|
| Model | PM863a |
| Capacity | 3.84 TB |
| Usage Class | Enterprise/Read-Intensive |
| Host Interface | SATA 3.0 6Gb/s |
|---|---|
| Total Interface Bandwidth | 6 Gb/s |
| Form Factor | 2.5 inch 7mm |
|---|
| NAND Flash | Samsung V-NAND TLC |
|---|---|
| Drive Writes Per Day | 1.3 |
| Total Bytes Written | 5466 TBW |
| Sequential Read | 520 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Sequential Write | 480 MB/s |
| Random Read IOPS | 97000 |
| Random Write IOPS | 24000 |
| Average Latency | 100 μs |
| Mean Time Between Failures | 2 Million Hours |
|---|---|
| Uncorrectable Bit Error Rate | 1.0×10⁻¹⁷ |
| Power Loss Protection | Yes |
| MPN | MZ-7LM3T80 |
|---|
Compared with the earlier MZ-7LM3T80, the Samsung PM863a MZ-7LM3T8A is the stronger drop-in refresh for SATA enterprise fleets, pairing 3.84 TB of Samsung V-NAND TLC with 1.3 DWPD, 5,466 TBW, and up to 97K/24K random IOPS to deliver higher practical endurance and steadier mixed-workload behavior at the 6Gb/s interface limit. Its unique value in this class is combining near-max SATA throughput at 520/480 MB/s with enterprise-grade write life, making it especially well suited for read-heavy to mixed virtualization, scale-out storage, and database servers that need to maximize capacity per bay without moving to SAS or NVMe.
With an endurance rating of 5,466 TBW and 1.3 DWPD, the MZ-7LM3T8A is designed to handle sustained daily write activity far beyond typical OS, boot, office, and general server workloads. In practical terms, under common system-disk or read-heavy enterprise use, this level of endurance provides a very large write margin and supports long-term, worry-free deployment. For enterprise reliability, built-in power loss protection (PLP) helps preserve in-flight data and metadata during unexpected power interruptions, reducing the risk of corruption and improving system integrity. Its UBER of 1.0E-17 and 2 million-hour MTBF indicate an enterprise-class error rate and strong long-term dependability, giving procurement teams added confidence for business-critical environments.
1. The SATA 3.0 interface paired with near-bus-limit sequential read performance makes this drive a practical drop-in upgrade for legacy enterprise servers, accelerating OS boot, database startup, and bulk data retrieval without requiring a PCIe backplane refresh.
2. Its strong random-read capability helps virtualized workloads and read-heavy databases sustain fast access to small blocks, improving VM responsiveness and reducing queue buildup during peak transaction periods.
3. With an endurance profile suited to more than one full drive write per day, it can reliably handle steady logging, email, and mixed enterprise application workloads across a typical data-center service life.
4. Samsung V-NAND TLC provides a balanced combination of density, power efficiency, and cost control, making it well suited for enterprises that need dependable capacity at scale without moving to a premium write-optimized tier.
5. The low typical latency supports consistently quick IO completion, which is especially valuable for latency-sensitive applications such as OLTP systems, metadata services, and heavily consolidated virtual environments.
Lower-capacity reference: 1.92 TB Higher-capacity reference: 7.68 TB In this series, the 3.84 TB model sits at a practical sweet spot. Compared with the 1.92 TB version, it offers much better headroom for OS images, application data, and growth buffers, reducing the need for early drive expansion. Compared with the 7.68 TB option, it typically delivers a more attractive cost-per-deployment while maintaining essentially the same enterprise SATA performance profile in sequential throughput and random IOPS. This makes 3.84 TB especially well suited for mid-scale virtualization clusters, edge servers, or database nodes supporting roughly 40 to 70 business workloads.
Q: Is MZ-7LM3T8A suitable for a write-heavy database server?
A: Yes. With 1.3 DWPD, 5466 TBW endurance, Samsung V-NAND TLC, and 100 µs typical latency, MZ-7LM3T8A is well suited for enterprise database workloads with sustained write activity.
Q: How many full drive writes per day can it actually endure over its warranty period?
A: It is rated for 1.3 full drive writes per day. For a 3.84 TB SSD, that equals about 4.99 TB of writes daily across the stated warranty period.
Q: Does it include power loss protection (PLP) and why is that critical?
A: Yes, it includes power loss protection. PLP helps preserve in-flight data and metadata during unexpected outages, reducing corruption risk and improving reliability for databases, RAID arrays, and virtualization environments.
Q: What RAID level is recommended for this SSD?
A: RAID choice depends on workload and protection needs. RAID 10 is commonly recommended for write-intensive databases, while RAID 5 or 6 may suit capacity-focused environments with balanced performance requirements.