Primary storage decision factors

Capacity requirements
More gigabytes means more capacity. High-capacity hard drives give a scalable foundation that adapts to your changing needs.

The importance of data
Hardware encryption protects sensitive data from malicious attacks. A hardware-based encryption solution, like a self-encrypting drive (SED), guards data without negatively impacting PC performance. Dell’s SED is TCG Opal compliant and Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 certified.

RAID storage
RAID offers data redundancy on multiple drives or backs up your system to external storage as another way to prevent data loss.

RAID-0/”stripping”: It writes data across all of the disks in the RAID array, improving performance. The accessible capacity is equal to the sum of the capacities of all disks in the array. However, if one disk fails in a RAID-0 configuration, data on all disks will be lost.

RAID-1/”mirroring”: It writes identical data to two separate disks. This creates a redundancy allowing the computer to continue operating normally in the event of a single Hard Drive malfunction. The accessible capacity is equal to the capacity of the smallest drive. This type of RAID is ideal for mission critical systems to help minimize downtime.

Note: When using RAID 1, it is recommended that an external backup be made of the data as RAID 1 does not protect against viruses, malware, and other software corruptions.

Performance
The type of storage influences performance.

• 7200 rpm HDD: The speed of the hard drive, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm), indicates the performance of the drive. A 7200 rpm HDD is standard performance for desktop applications.
• Solid-State Hybrid HDD: A solid-state hybrid hard drive is comprised of a standard rotating hard drive with a negated AND (NAND) flash in a single 2.5-inch form factor. Hybrid HDDs provide increased responsiveness over 7200RPM HDDs and maintain HDD capacity.
• Solid-State Drive: SSDs give the best overall level of storage performance. SSDs have no moving parts so their speed is not measured in rpm. SSDs are more durable, reliable and operate cooler and quieter than standard hard drives.

 

Power efficiency
Most OptiPlex systems support Serial ATA (SATA) 6.0 Gb/s (formerly SATA III, a serial revision of the popular legacy ATA bus), a raw data transfer rate with the first two ports; small connectors and cables; and a dedicated bandwidth and cable for each device. SATA 6.0 Gb/s delivers high performance and configuration convenience.

All OptiPlex systems use native command queuing (NCQ), a technology that increases drive performance by internally optimizing the order, read and write commands executed to minimize head movement within the drive.

If you need:	Choose
Maximum system performance and reliability	128GB or 256 GB Solid-State Drive
Increased system performance	500GB Solid-State Hybrid Hard Drive in either standard or high performance configurations
Maximum capacity	RAID-0 with two 1TB 3.5" Hard Drives (where available)
The latest hardware-encryption technology for the highest level of security	500GB 5400 rpm SED HDD With FIPS or 500 GB Hybrid SED SSHD
Enough capacity to meet most current and future needs	1TB 3.5" HDD
Data backup to ensure your data is there when you need it	2nd HDD With RAID-1 (where available)

For configurations supporting Optane™.

Intel® Optane™ Memory is an M.2 module that can be paired to a standard hard disk drive and accelerate its performance to near SATA Solid State Drive levels. The most-used files will be stored on the Intel® Optane™ Memory for faster access, improving overall system performance. The hard drive and Intel® Optane™ Memory will be seen as one drive volume, allowing it to be used just a like a standard drive.

Requirements for Optane™: 7th and later Gen Intel® Core™ processor platforms with 7th and later Gen Intel® Core™ Processors and Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST) driver (factory installed by default when Intel® Optane™ is purchased).