Introduction

Enterprise and Data Centers that require the fastest and most dense storage opt for NVMe SSDs for their high-speed PCIe interface. Hard drives are slower, and SATA is not that much faster. As new PCIe protocols advance, the adoption of NVMe storage continues to rise.

Enterprise and Data Center SSD Form Factor (EDSFF) SSDs are designed to optimize performance, power efficiency, cooling, and density in enterprise environments. They supplement traditional 2.5-inch and M.2 drives by offering purpose-built, hot-swappable solutions with higher power draw and capacity for more storage chips.

This blog will walk through the different EDSFF form factors—E1.S, E3.S, as well as their longer E1.L and E3.L variants, and explore their impact on modern data centers.

What is EDSFF?

EDSFF (Enterprise and Data Center SSD Form Factor) is a standard designed to address limitations of traditional SSD form factors. It optimizes airflow, density, serviceability, and performance for data centers, enabling efficient space and power use for high-density deployments.

NVMe SSDs traditionally come in two form factors:

• M.2 NVMe SSDs were designed for laptops and resemble a gum stick. While they use 4x PCIe lanes and are common in desktops and data centers, they lack hot-swap capability needed for enterprise environments. M.2 drives are typically used only for boot OS in data centers, as the form factor wasn't built for hot-swappable operation despite carrier card workarounds.
• 2.5" Drive is the standard size for SATA SSDs and small HDDs. U.2 NVMe SSDs use this form factor for data center storage. U.2 drives use a SATA-like port with extra pins for PCIe connectivity and are hot-swappable, making them the standard for enterprise NVMe. However, the interface limits power and peak performance.

EDSFF features a new connector that supports hotswap and new form factors that suit storage servers more for density.

• E1.S - Gum stick design akin to M.2 NVMe SSDs. Its width is the exact height of a 1U Server.
• E1.L - Extra-long ruler design that elongates the E1.S gum-stick design for higher storage density.
• E3.S - Similar form factor as a 2.5” U.2 NVMe SSD.
• E3.L - A slightly longer (but not by much) for incorporating just a couple more Memory chips.

1. E1.S

E1.S is the smallest of the EDSFF SSDs, designed to replace the M.2 form factor in the data center but make it hot-swappable. These E1.S drives are front-mounted and have the width of a 1U chassis. It is optimized for high-density, low-power applications where storage is tightly packed. There are various thicknesses for a heatsink (or lack thereof), in turn drawing more power and having faster performance.

• Use Cases: Ideal for environments that prioritize density over capacity, such as scale-out cloud storage. E1.S are most often used in 1U storage servers.
• Impact on Data Centers: With its slim design, E1.S enables a higher number of drives per 1U storage nodes. This form factor density is beneficial in applications where rack space and cost-effective scaling are essential.

2. E1.L

E1.L offers a longer, higher-capacity alternative to E1.S. It can accommodate more NAND flash, making it a better fit for high-capacity use cases. For storage dedicated 1U servers, having E1.L can drastically increase the density of high-speed NVMe storage.

• Use Cases: This form factor suits workloads that need high-density fast storage capacity, such as large databases or AI/ML datasets. Due to its longer form factor, these storage nodes often don’t feature strong GPU support, leaving room for networking first.
• Impact on Data Centers: E1.L provides high storage density in a compact footprint, making it advantageous for data centers with space constraints but high capacity needs.

3. E3.S

E3.S is a powerful alternative to the traditional 2.5-inch drive, designed to handle high-performance tasks while providing better airflow and cooling. It has a similar form factor to that of a 2.5" SATA or U.2 drive but uses the EDSFF interface and supports higher power draw and performance. The 2.5" form factor fits the height of a 2U server chassis.

• Use Cases: High-performance computing (HPC), AI, and other data-intensive workloads that benefit from sustained, high-throughput storage.
• Impact on Data Centers: E3.S SSDs deliver improved power and thermal efficiency, allowing data centers to run high-performance applications without compromising on density or cooling requirements.

4. E3.L

The E3.L form factor combines the performance and thermal benefits of E3.S with a larger capacity. The E3.L is slightly longer than E3.S, allowing it to house even more flash storage chips, making it ideal for high-capacity storage solutions. They also allow increased power draw for better performance.

• Use Cases: Perfect for larger, higher-capacity storage arrays where both performance and capacity are necessary.
• Impact on Data Centers: E3.L is highly beneficial in data centers where capacity and performance are paramount. With the larger form factor, data centers can consolidate storage and achieve high capacity without the need for additional physical space.

Benefits of EDSFF SSDs in Data Centers

EDSFF drives bring several notable advantages to data centers, which contribute to their growing popularity:

1. Increased Density: EDSFF's compact designs, especially E1.S and E1.L, allow for higher storage densities, enabling data centers to pack more storage into the same or smaller footprint.
2. Enhanced Thermal Management: The form factors are engineered for optimal airflow and thermal efficiency, addressing one of the most pressing issues in data center operations. It also supports more efficient use of power relative to legacy form factors.
3. Better Serviceability: EDSFF SSDs are hot-swappable, meaning that drives can be replaced without shutting down systems, which minimizes maintenance-related downtime.

With their modular designs and data center-specific engineering, EDSFF SSDs easily adapt to future advancements. They're already PCIe Gen 6 ready, making them ideal for HPC and data-intensive workloads.

Solidigm's research shows consistent growth in EDSFF adoption over traditional U.2 and M.2 form factors, with E1.L and E1.S projected for particularly high adoption rates in high-density storage applications.

EDSFF and the Future of Data Center Storage

EDSFF SSDs represent a significant step forward in addressing the unique challenges of data center storage. With their optimized sizes, better cooling, and increased density, EDSFF drives allow data centers to scale efficiently, handle higher workloads, and prepare for future demands. Generative AI, data-intensive HPC like weather modeling and molecular dynamics, and LLMs require massive amounts of computing and fast data to go along with.

As more data centers adopt EDSFF standards, we’ll likely see continued evolution and new standards tailored to emerging data center requirements. For now, E1.S, E1.L, E3.S, and E3.L are setting the stage for a new generation of storage infrastructure that will shape the future of enterprise storage for years to come.

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