Data center workloads are constantly evolving. In just a few short years, we’ve seen artificial intelligence (AI) move rapidly from research topics to integration in high-value data center workloads, with 5X growth of AI projects planned over the past two years.1
We’ve seen heterogenous computing scale in use across a larger class of workloads. IEEE noted in a recent paper that “… heterogeneous computing architectures have been powering the top supercomputers in the world for many years and are now finding broader adoption across the industry.”2
Capacity per SSD continues to grow. Forward Insights noted that Enterprise PCIe SSD average capacity is projected to increase over 70% in the next five years to 6,403 GB (2020 to 2025).3
In the same report, they also projected that flash-optimized Enterprise and Data Center SSD Form Factor (EDSFF) E1 and E3 will become a significant part of the overall Enterprise SSD form factor mix (about 16% by 2025). While demand for conventional form factors, like M.2 and U.2, tapers off in the same timeframe, they still represent the majority of this SSD mix. This means data center architects will need flexibility during the transition period from M.2 and U.2 to EDSFF form factors.
The intelligent edge is growing4, with businesses capturing and analyzing data closer to origin, while also tapping into the benefits of cloud architectures5 including efficiency, cost reductions, flexibility, mobility and a host of others. These trends require demand flexible SSDs that can scale from edge to cloud.
With these advances, we still face challenges. For example, security is top of mind for businesses. Data breaches in the first half of 2021 exposed 18.8 billion records.6 Securing infrastructure from edge to cloud through the complete product lifecycle requires a novel, simple, scalable and cost-effective approach.
To meet today’s growing demands—and the demands of tomorrow—storage must advance. Thriving in these challenging conditions, requires three things: flexibility, performance and security from storage solutions.
To help meet all three, we built the Micron® 7400 SSD with NVM Express™ (NVMe™). It’s storage that meets the demands of today and tomorrow’s servers with workload tuned performance and enhanced data security.
Flexibility to fit your designs
The Micron 7400 SSD delivers the world’s broadest SSD portfolio7 for the data center. With U.3, M.2 and E1.S form factors, it’s designed to meet evolving power and thermal needs. It offers a wide capacity range from 400GB to 7.68TB, supporting boot through high-capacity storage applications. It’s the only8 PCIe Gen4 U.3 form factor with both 7mm and 15mm z-heights. And it’s the only8 PCIe Gen4 M.2 22 x 80mm with power-loss protection specifically designed for server boot use.
All images are illustrations only and may not be to scale.
| Form Factor | Why Customers Need It | Capacity Range |
|---|---|---|
| E1.S | Ideal for cloud and 1U performance-focused designs. E1.S offers numerous capacity options in 5.9mm, 15mm and 25mm z-heights for primary data storage. | 800GB to 3.84TB |
5.9mm |
15mm |
25mm |
| Form Factor | Why Customers Need It | Capacity Range |
|---|---|---|
| U.3 | Designed for standard servers leveraging existing hot swap capabilities with U.2 backward compatibility, available in two z-height designs (7mm and 15mm). | 800GB to 7.68TB |
7mm |
15mm |
| Form Factor | Why Customers Need It | Capacity Range |
|---|---|---|
| M.2 | Board-mounted storage for system boot (can also be grouped for ultracompact data storage), including M.2 22 x 80mm SSD with power-loss protection.9 | 400GB to 3.84TB |
22 x 80mm |
22 x 110mm
|
PCIe Gen4 performance that scales
The Micron 7400 SSD is PCIe Gen4 native with PCIe Gen3 backward compatibility, so can be used in PCIe Gen3 and PCIe Gen4 servers. The Micron 7400 SSD uses this forward and backward compatibility to ease your transition to Gen4. All Micron 7400 SSDs can operate in Gen4 and Gen3 platforms, making procurement and support a breeze.
The Micron 7400 offers the performance and scale that you require:
2X The throughput of our prior-generation data center SSD with NVMe (Micron 7300 SSD)
128 NVMe namespaces to maximize configurability
Gen4 PCIe native with full PCIe Gen3 backward compatibility for easier data center transition
Security9 for your most valuable assets
The Micron 7400 SSD is at the leading edge of security, leveraging Micron’s security expertise to deliver an extensive set of features to help ensure data is safe and secure—all with hardware-driven performance.
Hardware Security Island
Dedicated security processing hardware with physical isolation provides an extra level of protection for key management.Signed Firmware Binaries
Firmware update images are signed by Micron and verified by the Micron 7400 SSD to ensure only Micron-approved firmware is loaded.Cryptographic Erase/Sanitize
These help ensure data on the SSD is not compromised. Data is unreadable by almost any currently known decryption technology data.Secure Namespaces
TCG Opal version 2.0 defines a standard for locking a namespace and LBA ranges within a namespace. The specification can be downloaded here.
Micron's first SSD with OCP support
The Open Compute Project (OCP) developed and published specifications that have built a thriving, standardized ecosystem. This ecosystem helps reduce deployment complexity and speeds time to market for the newest technologies, from the cloud to the distributed edge.
Micron has supported industry standards like this for decades—and continues to support them as a foundation for rapid innovation around the globe. The Micron 7400 SSD is Micron’s first SSD designed for select OCP deployments10 and is available in EDSFF form factors.
Summary
With our release of the Micron 7400 SSD, we bring all the benefits of our NAND leadership, controller design, DRAM expertise, global customer labs, world-class supply chain and manufacturing organizations into the development of our data center SSDs.
Built upon Micron’s history of innovation and technology leadership, our release of the Micron 7400 SSD delivers the flexibility, performance and leading security to meet the needs of evolving data center workloads.
Ready to learn more?
1. Gartner AI and ML Development Strategy, Gartner, July 2019. https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2019-07-15-gartner-survey-reveals-leading-organizations-expect-t
2. Heterogeneous Computing Systems for Complex Scientific Discovery Workflows: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9474061
3. Forward Insights report “SSD Update Q3/21”
4. What is edge computing? Here's why the edge matters and where it's headed https://www.zdnet.com/article/where-the-edge-is-in-edge-computing-why-it-matters-and-how-we-use-it/
5. 14 Incredible Benefits of Cloud Computing for Businesses: https://www.techfunnel.com/information-technology/benefits-of-cloud-computing/
6. Data breaches in the first half of 2021 exposed 18.8 billion records https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/95793-data-breaches-in-the-first-half-of-2021-exposed-188-billion-records
7. Statement based on comparison of Micron 7400 SSD and other, readily available, open-market data center SSDs with NVMe™. The Micron 7400 supports seven form factors, has capacity ranging from 400GB to 7.68TB, is available as U.3 in 7mm and 15mm z-heights, and is the only PCIe Gen4 M.2 22 x 80mm with power-loss protection specifically for server boot use.
8. Statement based on comparison of Micron 7400 SSD and other, readily available, open-market data center SSDs with NVMe™ at the time of product launch.
9. No hardware, software or system can provide absolute security under all conditions. Micron assumes no liability for lost, stolen or corrupted data arising from the use of any Micron products, including those products that incorporate any of the mentioned security features. All features not available on all products.
10. The Micron 7400 SSD complies with most, but not all, requirements of the Open Compute Project NVMe Cloud SSD Specification 1.0a. Contact your account manager for additional details.
All claims are valid as of the date of publication.
