Introduction and details of the unit
As most of you have heard, Intel sold its SSD division to SK hynix, which in turn created a brand new SSD called Solidigm. From what we can tell, SK hynix has kept Intel’s enterprise SSD division in place with just a name change. Even the staff are names we know. To us, this seems like a good approach by SK hynix, as Intel is probably the most widely used SSD brand in the data center. Why change something good?
The SSD we have in our bank today, the D7-P5520, is based on the success of its predecessor, the D7-P5510. Compared to its predecessor and depending on the capacity point, the D7-P5520 can offer up to 42% more 4K random read performance, 17% more 4K random write performance and up to 43% better QoS 4K QD1. Much of the improvement in its performance over its predecessor comes from improvements to the flash front. This is not a new flash node, but the 144-layer flash process has been perfected to the point that Solidigm refers to it as Gen2 144L.
Solidigm also points out the TCO savings opportunities that are offered with the D7-P5520 that are worth noting. Compared to the DC P4510, the D7-P5520 series offers up to a 50% reduction in footprint per GB of storage. In addition, the newest Solidigm offers a reduction of up to 44% in power consumption compared to the DC P4510 series mentioned above, which is quite amazing considering that the DC P4510 is based on PCIe Gen3 and the D7-P5520 PCIe Gen4.
The D7-P5520 is being released along with an intensive writing version designated D7-P5620. This unit offers similar read performance, but 56% higher random write performance. In addition, the D7-P5620 has a rating for three unit writes per day, while the D7-P5520 has a rating for one unit write per day. As far as we can tell, the only difference between the D7-P5520 and the D7-P5620 is the oversupply, so it is likely that you can only OP the D7-P5520 and get the same performance results. However, the warranty would be an issue if it exceeded 1 DWPD.
Specifications / Comparison Products
SEE GALLERY – 29 IMAGES
SSD Solidigm D7-P5520 7.68 TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 U.2
This side of the unit includes a familiar-looking manufacturer label.
The bottom of the unit housing is a high-strength cast aluminum piece that serves as a heat sink.
Business test methodology
TweakTown strictly adheres to industry-accepted enterprise solid state storage test procedures. Each test we perform repeats the same sequence of the following four steps:
- Secure SSD erasure
- Write all the capacity of the SSD at least 2x with 128 KB sequential write data, perfect transition to the next step
- SSD precondition to maximum measured QD (QD32 for SATA, QD256 for PCIe) with test-specific workload long enough to achieve a steady steady state and a smooth transition to the next step
- Run the test-specific workload for 5 minutes at each measured queue depth, record the results
SSD Solidigm D7-P5520 7.68 TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 U.2
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Benchmarks – Random and sequential performance
4K random write / read
We precondition the unit for 16,000 seconds, receiving performance data every second. We plot these data to observe the descent of the test subject to steady state.
The steady state is reached at 6,000 seconds of preconditioning. The average steady state write performance in QD256 is approximately 230,000 IOPS. The relatively tight pattern with virtually no atypical values indicates high QoS.
We are achieving a maximum of 235,000 IOPS of 4K random write to QD32, which is 15K better than the stated sustained 4K random write specification. Compared to its predecessors, we find Solidigm’s claims to increase performance to be correct.
Random reading performance is where performance is most important, most of the time. The D7-P5520 sets new lab records for an enterprise SSD at all depths of the queue up to QD128, eliminating its direct predecessor as a lab champion for pure 4K random read performance.
8K random write / read
We precondition the unit for 16,000 seconds, receiving performance data every second. We plot these data to observe the descent of the test subject to steady state.
The steady state is reached at 6,000 seconds of preconditioning. The average steady state write performance in QD256 is approximately 120,000 IOPS.
We expect random 8K to track exactly the same as random 4K, only at a slower pace. The D7-P5520 7.68 TB works as expected. The shallow queue performance is the second best we’ve gotten from a flash-based enterprise SSD so far.
As expected, the D7-P5520 7.68TB once again demonstrates its dexterity when it delivers a pure random read workload.
128K sequential write / read
We precondition the unit for 6,500 seconds, receiving performance data every second. The steady state of this test begins at 2,500 seconds. The average steady state sequential write performance on QD256 is approximately 4,400 MB / s.
Our tests indicate that the factory sequential write specifications are conservative. We are reaching 4,400 MB / s, which is 200 MB / s higher than the factory specifications. Excellent.
In absolute terms, the D7-P5520 can offer the highest sequential read we have ever seen from any SSD. 7,480 MB / s is almost 400 MB / s more than the specifications. However, it won’t get there until between QD16 and QD32, showing exactly the same weird behavior as its direct predecessor. Note that QD1 is the most important performance metric, and here the 7.68 TB D7-P5520 offers the second best we’ve seen so far of a flash-based SSD, which, oddly enough, is inferior to the D7-P5510 . .
However, we see no cause for concern here, as pure sequential workloads are uncommon at best.
Benchmarks – Server workloads
Email server
An email server workload is a demanding 8K test with an R / W distribution of 50 percent. This application provides a good indication of the performance of a unit in a workload environment with a lot of writing.
We precondition the unit for 16,000 seconds, receiving performance data every second. We plot these data to observe the descent of the test subject to steady state.
The steady state is achieved with about 8,000 seconds of preconditioning. The average steady-state workload performance at QD256 is approximately 170,000 IOPS. Our data pattern indicates good QoS.
In QD1, the D7-P5520 delivers merchandise in a big way, even surpassing the powerful CM6-V. Awesome. At queue depths greater than one, the CM6-V takes over as expected from an SSD with its write capabilities when handling a write-intensive workload as an e-mail server.
OLTP / Database Server
An online transaction processing (OLTP) / database workload is a demanding 8K test with an R / W distribution of 66/33 percent. OLTP is the online processing of financial transactions and high frequency trading.
We precondition the unit for 16,000 seconds, receiving performance data every second. We plot these data to observe the descent of the test subject to steady state.
The steady state is reached at 9,000 seconds of preconditioning. The average steady-state workload performance at QD256 is approximately 210,000 IOPS.
QoS is indicated as very good.
As we mix a more random reading, the D7-P5520 works better. This time it easily wins in QD1 and expands its best lab performance to QD2. It has a slightly better performance curve than its direct predecessor, up to QD32.
Web server
A web server workload is a pure random read test with a wide range of file sizes, ranging from 512B to 512KB with varying percentages per file size.
We precondition the unit for 16,000 seconds, receiving performance data every second. We plot these data to observe the descent of the test subject to steady state.
We precondition for this test with an inverted workload (all writing), so that no relevant information can be extracted from this preconditioning.
Okay, here we go. A pure random read workload is where the D7-P5520 is displayed, gaining at every tail depth we test. This is the performance that matters because most data center workloads are highly weighted for random reads.
Final thoughts
As we can see, the D7-P5520 is an excellent SSD to introduce the Solidigm brand to the world. It’s a well-known commodity that is a slightly or greatly improved version, depending on the capacity point, of Intel’s D7-P5510, which is, in our opinion, one of the best enterprise SSDs ever made.
Like its predecessors, the D7-P5520 is a performance power at low tail depths and, in addition, is capable of achieving industry-leading random read performance. This is the performance that matters in both accounts and has earned Solidigm’s first SSD, our highest award.
Advantages:
- Shallow yield of shallow tail
- PCIe Gen4
- Capacity / form factor options
Cons:
- It is not significantly faster than its predecessor with 7.68 TB