Introduction and Drive Details
Kingston Digital is now delivery the DC1500M enterprise SSD for datacenter purposes. The DC1500M helps as much as 64 namespaces, making it splendid for virtualized environments and purposes akin to website hosting. The drive has at its coronary heart a Silicon Motion Inc. 16-channel SM2270 controller. SMI’s SM2270 controller has constructed a well-deserved repute for delivering constant, predictable efficiency below a broad vary of datacenter workloads.
For flash, Kingston is utilizing BiCS4 96Layer TLC. We like this selection because it has confirmed to ship random learn efficiency superior to different 96Layer flash selections. A 16-channel Silicon Motion SM2270 controller managing a BiCS4 flash array needs to be a recipe for prime QoS (Quality of Service), which is precisely what Kingston is claiming the DC1500M is all about. Let’s get Kingston’s latest datacenter SSD on the bench and see if the outcomes match the claims.
Quick Specs/Comparison Products
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Kingston DC1500M 1.92TB Enterprise PCIe Gen3 x4 NVMe SSD
This aspect of the drive encompasses a familiar-looking producer label.
The backside of the drive’s enclosure is a heavy-duty solid aluminum piece that serves as a warmth sink.
Specifications and Features
Kingston’s PCIe Gen3 x4 NVMe SSD is a 2.5″ x 15mm U.2 (SFF-8639) Enterprise SSD accessible in capacities starting from 960GB as much as 7.68TB. Features embrace a PCIe Gen3 x4 U.2 interface, SMI NVMe controller, BiCS4 TLC flash, as much as 64 namespaces, energy loss safety, end-to-end knowledge safety that includes superior LDPC bit correction on reminiscences within the knowledge path for cover at each layer. Endurance is sweet at 1 drive write per day for 5-years.
Current on-line pricing finds the 1.92TB DC1500M retailing for about $484.
Enterprise Testing Methodology
TweakTown strictly adheres to industry-accepted Enterprise Solid State Storage testing procedures. Each check we carry out repeats the identical sequence of the next 4 steps:
- Secure Erase SSD
- Write total capability of SSD a minimal of 2x with 128KB sequential write knowledge, seamlessly transition to subsequent step
- Precondition SSD at most QD measured (QD32 for SATA, QD256 for PCIe) with the check particular workload for a ample period of time to succeed in a continuing steady-state, seamlessly transition to subsequent step
- Run check particular workload for 5-minutes at every measured Queue Depth, document outcomes
Benchmarks – Random and Sequential Performance
4K Random Write/Read
We precondition the drive for 16,000 seconds, receiving efficiency knowledge each second. We plot this knowledge to watch the check topic’s descent into steady-state.
Steady-state is achieved at 6,000 seconds of preconditioning. The common steady-state write efficiency at QD256 is roughly 240K IOPS. The comparatively tight sample with just about no outliers signifies a excessive QoS.
We haven’t any drawback sustaining 240,000 4K random write IOPS which is 20K higher than Kingston’s said sustained random write spec. Kingston’s latest delivers the second highest write efficiency for any flash-based SSD we have examined thus far. When we consider its excellent low queue depth efficiency, we’re of the opinion that the DC1500M delivers the best-in-class 4K random write efficiency. Outstanding
Kingston specs the DC1500M 1.92TB for as much as 510,000 random learn IOPS, and once more we exceed manufacturing facility specs by roughly 20K IOPS. Overall, the DC1500M is delivering common 4K random learn efficiency.
8K Random Write/Read
We precondition the drive for 16,000 seconds, receiving efficiency knowledge each second. We plot this knowledge to watch the check topic’s descent into steady-state.
Steady-state is achieved at 7,000 seconds of preconditioning. The common steady-state write efficiency at QD256 is roughly 112K IOPS.
We count on 8K random to trace precisely the identical as 4K random, simply at a 50% decrease price. This is precisely what we get. Again, we’ll level out the DC1500M is delivering the very best efficiency the place it issues essentially the most, QD1, for any flash-based Gen3 SSD we have examined. Excellent.
Here we count on to see our chart monitoring the identical as our 4K chart with considerably decrease efficiency. Results are available higher than anticipated, as we discover the DC1500M delivering higher than common efficiency at QD1-QD32. Nice.
128K Sequential Write/Read
We precondition the drive for six,500 seconds, receiving efficiency knowledge each second. Steady-state for this check was already achieved after we crammed the drive with 128K seq knowledge. An entire string of outliers going within the fallacious path signifies poor QoS when writing knowledge sequentially.
The common steady-state sequential write efficiency at QD256 is roughly 2,200 MB/s.
Our testing signifies manufacturing facility sequential write specs to be overstated by nearly 500 MB/s. However, after we step again and take a look at its efficiency at QD4 and QD8, we discover it is the very best we have seen from a 2TB class PCIe Gen3 enterprise SSD thus far. We suppose that the manufacturing facility specs of two,700 MB/s for the 1.92TB mannequin is likely to be a typo.
It seems to be just like the DC1500M is making an attempt to make up for underperforming vs. said sequential write spec by exceeding said spec by roughly 400 MB/s when studying sequential knowledge. That’s a pleasant trade-off that we’ll gladly take any day as learn efficiency is extra necessary than write for almost all of purposes. Additionally, and value noting is the truth that at QD8-16, the DC1500M is the very best we have examined.
Benchmarks – Server Workloads
Email Server
An Email Server workload is a demanding 8K check with a 50 % R/W distribution. This software offers a superb indication of how properly a drive will carry out in a write-heavy workload atmosphere.
We precondition the drive for 16,000 seconds, receiving efficiency knowledge each second. We plot this knowledge to watch the check topic’s descent into steady-state.
Steady-State is achieved at roughly 14,000 seconds of preconditioning. The common steady-state workload efficiency at QD256 is roughly 90K IOPS.
The small variety of outliers signifies common to above common QoS.
The typical working area for many enterprise workloads is within the QD1-QD16 vary. The DC1500M delivers the very best Gen3 efficiency we have seen right here at QD1-8. This is the place we need to see distinctive efficiency, and that is proper the place the DC1500M is serving it up in an enormous manner.
OLTP/Database Server
An Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) / Database workload is a demanding 8K check with a 66/33 % R/W distribution. OLTP is the net processing of economic transactions and high-frequency buying and selling.
We precondition the drive for 16,000 seconds, receiving efficiency knowledge each second. We plot this knowledge to watch the check topic’s descent into steady-state.
Steady-state is achieved at 15,000 seconds of preconditioning. The common steady-state workload efficiency at QD256 is roughly 112K IOPS.
The small variety of outliers signifies common to above common QoS.
Again, the DC1500M exhibits us finest in school efficiency at low queue depths. Performance that issues.
Web Server
A Web Server workload is a pure random learn check with a variety of file sizes, starting from 512B to 512KB at various proportion charges per file measurement.
We precondition the drive for 16,000 seconds, receiving efficiency knowledge each second. We plot this knowledge to watch the check topic’s descent into steady-state.
We precondition for this check with an inverted (all-write) workload, so no related data could be gleaned from this chart.
More good things from the DC1500M. We discover it’s basically tied with the DC-P4510 for the very best Gen3 efficiency at queue depths as much as 8.
Final Thoughts
Kingston’s DC1500M displayed its prowess over a broad vary of datacenter use case situations we examined it in opposition to immediately. The drive impressed with its low queue depth efficiency and demonstrated that it’s a pressure to be reconned with because it delivered among the finest PCIe Gen3 sustained performances we have seen thus far.
The DC1500M 1.92TB impressed us throughout the board, with the lone exception of not delivering sequential write efficiency that matches said efficiency. This is not an enormous deal as a result of it’s delivering precisely as anticipated for a 2TB class PCIe Gen3 datacenter SSD, perhaps even a bit higher.
Kingston’s latest datacenter SSD delivered efficiency the place it issues, a few of it we might even name finest in school, and has earned one in all TweakTown‘s highest awards and a hearty advice.
Pros:
- Best Form Factor
- Low Cost
- Multiple Namespaces
- Density
Cons:
