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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchA solid-state array (SSA) is an external storage system that combines solid-state drives—usually SSDs—under shared controllers, network connections and management software. It is commonly another name for an all-flash array (AFA), though some stricter enterprise definitions reserve “SSA” for dedicated systems that cannot be configured with hard disk drives (HDDs).
What is a solid-state array?
An SSA is a managed storage platform, not a single SSD. The array pools multiple solid-state devices and makes their storage available to connected servers or other systems. Its controllers, data paths and software coordinate access and management across the system.
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SSDs commonly use NAND flash memory. Depending on the product, an array’s software may also provide features such as redundancy, monitoring, snapshots, replication, compression, deduplication or thin provisioning. These capabilities vary by system; the term “solid-state array” alone does not guarantee that any particular feature is included.
Is a solid-state array the same as an all-flash array?
In common current vendor usage, yes: “solid-state array” and “all-flash array” are often used interchangeably for external storage that uses flash media, such as SSDs, for persistent storage. IBM and Everpure both use the terms this way (IBM; Everpure).
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There is also a narrower, stricter enterprise usage. A Gartner-attributed definition reproduced in a 2014 document describes an SSA as a dedicated, scalable system based on solid-state technology that cannot be configured with HDDs. Under that classification, an SSD-only shelf installed in a more general-purpose external array is not necessarily an SSA. This is a stricter category boundary, not a universal rule for how vendors use the term today (EM360Tech).
How does an SSA differ from an SSD, a hybrid array and an HDD array?
| Term | What it means | Key distinction |
|---|---|---|
| SSD | A solid-state storage drive, commonly based on flash memory. | A component that may be installed in an array; it is not a complete managed array. |
| Solid-state array / all-flash array | An external storage system built around solid-state media. | Combines storage devices with controllers, connectivity and system-level management. |
| Hybrid array | An array combining flash or SSDs with HDDs. | It includes both media types; it would not meet the stricter definition that rules out HDD configuration. |
| HDD array | An array whose storage is based on hard disk drives. | It relies on spinning-disk media rather than an all-flash configuration. |
These are architecture distinctions, not performance guarantees. All-flash systems are generally positioned for performance-sensitive workloads, while hybrid systems can trade some performance for lower-cost capacity. Actual results and costs depend on the specific system, workload and configuration (TechTarget).
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What determines how an SSA performs and scales?
The flash devices matter, but so do the controllers, network paths, software and data services. A 2018 Storage Developer Conference presentation describes a solid-state storage system in terms of redundant networked controllers, solid-state devices accessible through those controllers, and redundant data paths. Redundancy is therefore an important design question to assess, rather than something to infer from the “SSA” label alone (SNIA conference presentation).
Arrays can grow in different ways. Scale-up adds storage to an existing system; scale-out adds nodes that contribute capacity and compute. IBM notes that scale-up designs can encounter bottlenecks around a central controller, while scale-out designs add nodes as needs grow. Neither approach is automatically better: judge it against workload, expected growth, controller and path redundancy, and management requirements (IBM).
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When comparing an all-flash, hybrid or HDD system, consider:
- Workload and latency: Identify the performance the applications need and validate it on the proposed configuration.
- Usable capacity and total cost: Compare capacity available after system overhead and account for the complete system, not only drive prices.
- Resiliency and data services: Check controller and path redundancy, and confirm which snapshots, replication or other features are included.
- Growth model: Determine whether capacity can be added to the current system or requires additional nodes, and how each option affects management.
- Power and rack constraints: Confirm that the system fits the data center’s space and power limits.
Does the “solid-state” label guarantee a particular speed?
No. Drive-interface examples do not establish the performance of a complete array. IBM gives typical SATA SSD speeds of about 550–600 MB/s and NVMe SSD transfer-rate examples from 3,500 MB/s to 14,000 MB/s; these are drive/interface examples, not a promise of array throughput or application performance (IBM). Array results depend on the complete system and workload.
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