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Check the types of hard disks and their features

Check the types of hard disks and their features

Hard disks used in servers and personal computers have a direct impact on the speed and performance of systems. In this article, we are going to get acquainted with the technology of different types of hard disks that are used in servers and networks.

NVMe hard drive

NVMe Memory is an efficient, high-performance host control interface with a simple set of commands and user interface. This memory is made for data centers, systems and companies that use non-volatile memory.

NVM Express focuses on enhancing performance and interoperability across a wide range of client and enterprise systems. NVM Express, like other solid state memory, uses a parallel level and is fully utilized by the host software and hardware. As a result, it reduces input / output overhead and makes many improvements over other logical device interfaces, such as reduced latency, long, multiple command queues. A distinctive feature of NVM Express is that it does not require a registry to provide a command.

 

This type of hard drive also has a simple storage stack. Both factors combine to help NVM Express achieve low latency. NVM Express provides a standard software interface standard for PCI solid-state devices, so there are no compatibility issues. NVM Express is highly optimized for memory-based storage.

NVM Express has many benefits. Significantly improves sequential and random performance due to reduced latency. Therefore, it has the ability to access more data in each CPU cycle. Another advantage of NVM Express is that it provides a standards-based approach that allows PCIe solid-state device collaboration. Compared to SATA-based solid state devices, NVM Express devices consume less power and have higher I / O performance per second. With multiple queues, NVM Express ensures that the CPU is reaching its full potential.

SSD hard drive

Solid state drive (SSD) is an electronic storage drive based on solid state architecture. SSDs are built with NAND and NOR flash memory to store non-volatile data and dynamic random access memory (DRAM). An SSD drive and a magnetic hard drive (HDD) have a similar purpose. An SSD is also known as a solid state drive (SSD) or electronic drive.

SSDs incorporate storage methods into microchip-based flash drives, where data is stored electronically on flash memory chips.

SSD has two main components. Flash memory: Has storage memory. Controller: A built-in microprocessor that processes functions such as error handling, data recovery, and encryption.

 

SCSI hard disk

Computer System Interface (SCSI) is a group of ANSI electronic interfaces that allow PCs to communicate with peripheral hardware, including tape drives, disk drives, printers, CD-ROMs, scanners, and more. Communications using SCSI are faster and more flexible than basic parallel data interfaces.
SSD hard drive

The latest version is 16-bit SCSI (Ultra-640) Fast-320. This version has been available since 2003 with a transfer speed of 640 Mbps. SCSI can connect to 16 devices using a cable up to 12 meters.

SCSI-2 or higher is capable of supporting up to seven peripherals including CD-ROM and scanner. These peripherals can be connected to a single SCSI port on a bus. SCSI ports were originally designed for Unix and Apple Macintosh computers. However, they can also be used on personal computers.

Even if not all devices can support all SCSI levels, SCSI standards are usually compatible with previous versions. In PCs, USB has replaced SCSI interfaces in most cases. However, corporate-level clients still use server-based SCSI for hard disk controllers.

SATA hard drive

SATA is a computer interface used to connect host bus adapters to mass storage devices such as optical drives and a variety of hard disks. This interface is commonly used to connect hard drives to a host system, such as a computer motherboard.

SATA has many advantages over ATA and PATA. Most features are instant switching and fast data transfer speed. Instant replacement is the ability to replace computer system components without having to turn off the system. Older systems had to be turned off before replacing or installing system modules. SATA data rate of 6 Gbps is also much faster than ATA and PATA.

 

What is the difference between SAS (SCSI) and SATA hard drives?

Although SATA and SCSI hard drives are very similar, there are some fundamental differences. SATA hard drives typically cost less, making them more common among consumers. SATA hard drives are known for their outstanding storage capacity and better performance compared to SCSI drives. Because of their high storage capacity, SATA drives are commonly used for file sharing, email, web, backup, and archiving.

On the other hand, SCSI hard drives are more reliable than SATA drives. SCSI drives are designed to participate in major applications with 24/7 usage and transmission speeds of up to 15,000 rpm. SCSI drives are valuable in systems where speed is more important. SCSI drives have no storage compared to SATA drives but perform better. If you are looking for more reliable storage capacity than SATA drives, SCSI drives offer higher capacity.

Advantages of SSD hard drives and its differences with SATA and SCSI

SSDs offer up to 100 times more power than traditional hard drives, which means faster boot and better overall system performance. Unlike SCSI and SATA drives, SSDs have no removable drives, making them the safest and most efficient option. Lack of moving parts also means reducing the risk of failure and increasing energy efficiency compared to traditional hard drives. SSDs are usually more expensive than SCSI and SATA hard drives because of their performance, speed, and reliability benefits. SSDs are ideal for high frequency instant data such as databases, CRMs or banking transactions.

The place of NVMe in all types of hard drives

NVMe is a faster interface for SSD speeds. As SSDs began to replace HDDs in computers, a new interface was needed to support high-speed SSDs.
The place of NVMe in all types of hard drives

NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory) is an interface protocol designed specifically for all types of SSDs. NVMe uses SSD with PCI Express to transfer data. NVMe enables fast storage on PC SSDs and is an improvement over older hard disk drive (HDD) interfaces such as SATA and SAS. The only reason to use SATA and SCSI despite the SSD in computers is that until recently, only HDDs that are slower than the new technology have been used as high-capacity storage in computers. Flash memory is used in mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, USB drives and SD cards. (SSDs are flash memory.)

It is currently the main source of storage for smartphones and tablets. SSDs are now more expensive than hard drives and are often used as cache along with HDDs to speed up computer systems.

NVMe-based SSDs use PCIe to reduce latency over SSDs. The factors that the NVMe protocol uses must be somehow connected to the PCIe inside the computer. To date, NVMe connections can be made via a PCIe expansion card, a 2.5-inch U.2 connector, or a small M.2 form factor.