Episode 46: HDD and SSD Speed, Form Factor, and Features
Storage devices like hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs) play a crucial role in the performance of networking appliances, servers, and client devices. In this episode, we explore the key differences between HDD and SSD technologies, including their speed characteristics, latency profiles, and how they impact system responsiveness. You'll learn how form factors like 2.5-inch, M.2, and U.2 dictate device compatibility, and how different interfaces like SATA and NVMe affect transfer speeds and queue depth.
We also discuss durability, power consumption, and typical use cases for both spinning disks and flash-based storage. By the end of the episode, you’ll understand which storage technologies are best suited for different environments, such as mass storage, high-speed caching, or mobile computing. This foundational hardware knowledge supports better procurement decisions and effective troubleshooting when storage-related issues arise in a networking context.
