High Performance Storage: What is NVMe?

Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) is revolutionising the storage landscape with its cutting-edge interface that directly connects to a computer’s motherboard. Unlike traditional storage interfaces, NVMe is designed to offer higher storage throughput and lower latency, making it a significant advancement in flash and memory media technology.

The Technology Behind NVMe

NVMe is a flash-based storage system that communicates directly with the motherboard through the PCI Express interface, eliminating the need for a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) controller. This direct connection reduces latency, taking advantage of the microsecond response times of flash arrays and eliminating common bottlenecks associated with older storage technologies. This improvement is crucial for businesses, as it allows better server capacity, enhanced computer performance, and an improved overall user experience.

Enterprise-Class Features

NVMe's enterprise-class features are particularly beneficial for businesses facing extreme demands and workloads. Whether you are a small independent company or a large enterprise, NVMe can significantly enhance your server's capabilities. However, it’s essential to ensure that your server is compatible with NVMe technology to take full advantage of its benefits.

Things to Consider

Server Compatibility: Not all servers can accommodate NVMe drives, particularly in the U.2 (2.5”) format. Ensure that your server can support these drives.

Correct Components: Verify that your server has the appropriate connections and components to utilise NVMe storage fully.

Drive Requirements: Determine the number of drives you need and whether your server can support them. Some servers might have the physical space but lack the necessary connections to operate all installed drives effectively.

For servers that don’t support NVMe U.2 drives, there are alternative options. Half-Height, Half-Length (HL) solid-state drives can serve as adapters for M.2 drives, fitting into PCIe slots where NVMe drives would typically be placed.

Configuring Your Server with Bytestock

Our team of experts specialise in building and configuring servers to meet specific customer needs. Whether you require an upgrade for an existing server or need a completely new build, we offer configurations that optimise each component for maximum performance.

Contact us today to upgrade or configure your server with our ‘configure to order’ service and experience the unparalleled performance of NVMe technology.