Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs

The Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA solid-state drives (SSDs) for System x use 20nm Intel NAND flash memory technology with SATA 6Gbps interface to provide a high-performance, high-endurance storage solution in either 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drive form factor.

The Intel SSD S3710 drives with 10 full drives writes per day (DWD) are an excellent choice for applications demanding high write performance, such as High Performance Computing (HPC), High Definition Imaging and Video (HDIV), high data rate analytics and databases, large-scale virtualization, and video on demand content delivery.

The Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA solid-state drive is shown in the following figure.

Figure 1. Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSD in a 2.5-inch hot-swap form factor

By combining the latest 20 nm MLC NAND flash memory technology with Intel’s latest controller technology, the design of Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs delivers consistent performance, reduced power consumption, and end-to-end data protection, as well as being optimized for endurance and IOPS/watt.

Rigorous testing of Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs by Lenovo through the ServerProven® program ensures a high degree of storage subsystem compatibility and reliability. Providing additional peace of mind, these drives are covered under Lenovo warranty.

The following table lists the information for ordering part numbers and feature codes.

 The part numbers include the following items:

• One SSD (HS and G3HS part numbers have a hot-swap tray attached)
• Support Flyer for SSDs
• Warranty flyer and Important Notices document

The Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs have the following features:

• Industry-standard 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch form factors
• Cost-effective Intel 20 nm Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND flash memory
• Endurance of 10 drive writes per day (DWPD) for 5 years, using Intel High Endurance Technology (HET). This equates to a total bytes written (TBW) value of:
  • 200 GB drive: 3.6 PB
  • 400 GB drive: 8.3 PB
  • 800 GB drive: 16.9 PB
• SATA MLC solid-state drive with high read performance and consistently low latencies to fulfill client needs in the enterprise space
• High reliability and enhanced ruggedness
• Energy saving, with 6.9 W typical power consumption per drive
• Absence of moving parts to reduce potential failure points in the server
• S.M.A.R.T. support
• Advanced Encrypting Standard (AES) 256-bit encryption
• Full end-to-end data path protection
• Thermal throttling to extend the life of the drive
• Enhanced power loss data protection

The key difference between Enterprise Performance SSDs such as the S3710 SSDs and Enterprise Entry SSDs, such as the S3510 SSDs, is their endurance (life expectancy). SSDs have a huge, but finite, number of program/erase (P/E) cycles, which determines how long the drives can perform write operations and thus their life expectancy. Enterprise Performance SSDs have better endurance than the Enterprise Value SSDs, but at a higher cost/IOPS ratio.

SSD write endurance is typically measured by the number of program/erase cycles that the drive can incur over its lifetime, which is listed as TBW in the device specification. The TBW value that is assigned to a solid-state device is the total bytes of written data that a drive can be guaranteed to complete. Reaching this limit does not cause the drive to immediately fail; the TBW simply denotes the maximum number of writes that can be guaranteed.

A solid-state device does not fail upon reaching the specified TBW, but at some point after surpassing the TBW value (and based on manufacturing variance margins), the drive reaches the end-of-life point, at which time the drive goes into read-only mode. Because of such behavior, careful planning must be done to use SSDs in the application environments to ensure that the TBW of the drive is not exceeded before the required life expectancy.

For example, the Intel S3710 200GB Enterprise Performance SATA G3HS 2.5" SSD has an endurance of 3,600 TB (3.6 PB) of total bytes written (TBW) over five years. This means that for full operation over five years, write workload must be limited to no more than 2 TB of writes per day. For the device to last in three years, the drive write workload must be limited to no more than 3.3 TB of writes per day.

The following table presents technical specifications for the Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs.

The following tables list the servers that support the Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs.

The Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs require a supported disk controller. The following table lists the controllers and the servers that support those controllers.

SSDs operate transparently to users, storage systems, applications, databases, and operating systems. The controllers that support SSDs are supported by the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Datacenter x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Datacenter x86 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Enterprise x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Enterprise x86 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Standard x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Standard x86 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Web x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Web x86 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Server Edition
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Server with Xen x64 Edition
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Server x64 Edition
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Server Edition
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Server x64 Edition
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
• SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 10 for AMD64/EM64T
• SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 10 for x86
• SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 11 for AMD64/EM64T
• SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 11 for x86
• SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 11 with Xen for AMD64/EM64T
• VMware ESX 4.1
• VMware ESXi 4.1
• VMware vSphere 5.0 (ESXi)
• VMware vSphere 5.1 (ESXi)
• VMware vSphere 5.5 (ESXi)

For the latest information about the specific supported operating system versions and service packs, see  ServerProven:
http://www.lenovo.com/us/en/serverproven/xseries/controllers/matrix.shtml

Select the check mark box that is associated with the controller and server combination in question to see the details about operating system support.

The Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs carry a one-year, customer-replaceable unit (CRU) limited warranty. When the SSDs are installed in a supported server, these drives assume the system’s base warranty and any warranty upgrades.

Solid State Memory cells have an intrinsic, finite number of program/erase cycles that each cell can incur. As a result, each solid state device has a maximum amount of program/erase cycles to which it can be subjected. The warranty for Lenovo solid state drives (SSDs) is limited to drives that have not reached the maximum guaranteed number of program/erase cycles, as documented in the Official Published Specifications for the SSD product. A drive that reaches this limit may fail to operate according to its Specifications.

The S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs have the following physical specifications.

Dimensions and weight (approximate, without drive tray):

• Height: 7 mm (0.3 in.)
• Width: 70 mm (2.8 in.)
• Depth: 100 mm (4.0 in.)
• Weight: 74 g (2.6 oz lb)

Shipping dimensions and weight - 2.5-inch drives (approximate):

• Height: 63 mm (2.5 in.)
• Width: 174 mm (6.9 in.)
• Depth: 133 mm (5.2 in.)
• Weight: 434 g (1.0 lb)

Shipping dimensions and weight- 3.5-inch drives (approximate):

• Height: 95 mm (3.7 in.)
• Width: 257 mm (10.1 in.)
• Depth: 193 mm (7.6 in.)
• Weight: 484 g (1.1 lb)

The S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs are supported in the following environment:

• Temperature: 0 - 70 °C (32 - 158°F)
• Relative humidity: 5 - 95% (noncondensing)
• Maximum altitude: 3,050 m (10,000 ft)

The Intel S3710 Enterprise Performance SATA SSDs conform to the following regulations:

• FCC Title 47, Part 15B, Class B
• CA/CSA-CEI/IEC CISPR 22:02
• EN 55024: 1998
• EN 55022: 2006
• EN-60950-1 2nd Edition
• UL/CSA EN-60950-1 2nd Edition
• Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC
• C-Tick: AS/NZS3584
• BSMI: CNS 13438
• KCC Article 11.1
• RoHS DIRECTIVE 2011/65/EU
• WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC

For more information, see the following documents:

• Lenovo System x storage options product page
  https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/data-center/servers/server-options/system-x-options/server-storage/c/system-x-storage
• US Announcement letter
  http://ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?infotype=dd&subtype=ca&&htmlfid=897/ENUS115-154
• Intel SSD Data Center S3710 Series product page
  http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/solid-state-drives/solid-state-drives-dc-s3710-series.html
• ServerProven for SSDs
  http://www.lenovo.com/us/en/serverproven/xseries/storage/hssdmatrix.shtml
• ServeRAID Adapter Quick Reference
  http://lenovopress.com/tips0054