Solid state drive

Solid-state drives (SSDs) are a key building block of modern computing. Used across personal, enterprise and industrial environments, SSDs serve as a fast, reliable storage medium that supports today’s data-intensive applications.

Unlike traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), which store data on spinning magnetic disks, SSDs store information electronically using NAND flash memory. This solid-state design enables faster performance, greater durability and improved energy efficiency. SSDs are essential to building responsive, scalable and energy-conscious computing infrastructure.

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What is a solid-state drive?

Solid-state drive definition: A solid-state drive is a high-performance data storage device that uses NAND flash memory to store and retrieve digital data electronically. 

SSDs have become foundational to modern computing, powering everything from personal laptops and mobile devices to enterprise servers, industrial systems and data centers. Their ability to deliver rapid boot times, efficient multitasking and energy savings makes them a preferred choice across a wide range of applications.

By eliminating mechanical components, SSDs offer enhanced reliability and resilience in harsh and demanding environments. As technologies like ​artificial intelligence​, ​machine learning​ and real-time analytics continue to evolve, SSDs play a critical role in supporting the speed and scalability required by today’s data-driven systems.

How do solid-state drives work?

SSDs store data electronically using NAND flash memory — a type of nonvolatile memory that retains information even when power is removed. This contrasts with volatile memory like dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) which loses data when power is lost. At the heart of NAND flash memory are memory cells built from specialized transistors gate or charge-trap architectures to represent binary values — 1s and 0s — that form the basis of digital data. These transistors are either switched on (cell value =1) or off (cell value =0), and they retain their state unless changed by a write operation.

The cells are arranged in a grid-like structure and grouped into pages and blocks, where data is written, read and erased using electrical signals. This solid-state architecture eliminates the mechanical delays found in traditional HDDs, which rely on spinning platters and moving actuator arms.

A key component of SSD functionality is the controller, which manages how and where data is stored. Advanced firmware algorithms handle tasks such as:

• Wear leveling​​:​​ Spreads write cycles and the associated erase cycles evenly across memory blocks (each containing many cells across multiple layers) to prevent certain areas from wearing out faster. Because NAND erases entire blocks and each write electrically stresses the cells, balancing block usage extends the SSD’s lifespan.
• Error correction​​:​​ Uses error-correcting codes (ECC) to detect and correct data errors to ensure integrity during read/write cycles. This is especially critical in high-throughput environments like data centers, where large volumes of data are processed continuously and reliability is paramount.
• Garbage collection​​:​​ Reclaims blocks containing invalid or stale data to maintain write performance. While it involves erasing blocks — which uses program/erase cycles — efficient garbage collection helps reduce unnecessary wear and supports SSD longevity.

Because SSDs can use multiple NAND channels and can access many memory cells in parallel, they deliver high throughput, low latency and superior input/output operations per second (IOPs) compared to HDDs. These performance advantages make SSDs ideal for everything from consumer devices and gaming systems to enterprise storage and edge computing.

​​SSDs are also valued for their durability. With no moving parts, they resist physical wear and environmental stress. In data centers, SSDs support demanding workloads while reducing energy and cooling needs. In industrial and embedded systems, they offer rugged, compact storage that withstands vibration, shock and extreme temperatures, making them ideal for harsh and mission-critical environments.​

What is the history of solid state drives?

The evolution of SSDs reflects decades of innovation in data storage technology. From early enterprise prototypes to today's high-capacity, high-performance solutions, SSDs have transformed how data is stored, accessed and scaled.

• 1970s, introduction of SSDs: In 1978, the first solid-state drive prototype, ST405 is introduced. It was a 45MB SSD using volatile RAM backed by HDDs​,​ and marked the beginning of solid-state storage in enterprise computing 
• 1990s, first flash-based solid-state drives for commercial use: SanDisk (then SunDisk) builds a 20MB SSD for IBM laptops, combining flash memory with an intelligent controller — laying the foundation for modern SSD architecture.
• 2007​​, ​​Micron enters the SSD market: Micron launches its RealSSD™ product line, offering SATA-based SSDs for notebooks and desktops.
• 2011​​, ​​Micron and Intel introduce 20-nm Multi-level Cell (MLC) NAND: The partnership unveils the world’s first 20-nm multi-level-cell NAND, enabling higher density and performance in SSDs.
• 2012–2013, rise of Triple-Level Cell (TLC) NAND: TLC NAND enters mainstream production, storing three bits per cell for higher capacity and lower cost per gigabyte. Initially adopted in consumer SSDs, TLC technology matured with improved endurance and reliability, making it widely used in data centers and enterprise storage today.
• 2015​​,​​ Micron and Intel unveil 3D NAND: A major leap in flash architecture, 3D NAND stacks memory cells vertically, tripling capacity and improving endurance over planar NAND.
• 2017, QLC NAND enters the market: Quad-level cell (QLC) NAND, capable of storing 4 bits per cell, marks a major advancement in flash memory density. QLC extends earlier Single Level Cell (SLC), Multi-level Cell (MLC) and Triple-level cell (TLC) technologies to reduce cost per gigabyte and expand SSD capacity. While QLC has traditionally favored read-intensive workloads, new advancements such as Micron’s Adaptive Write Technology™ (AWT) and other intelligent caching algorithms are significantly improving write performance. These innovations make QLC increasingly viable for broader-use cases, including client and enterprise applications where cost-effective, high-capacity storage is essential.

What are the key types of SSDs?

SSDs come in a variety of types, each tailored to specific performance, capacity and form-factor needs. While all SSDs use NAND flash memory, they differ in interface protocols and deployment environments.

SSDs (Serial ATA)

SATA SSDs, or Serial ATA solid-state drives, use the serial advanced technology attachment interface to connect to computers. This widely adopted interface offers a cost-effective upgrade over traditional HDDs, which rely on older integrated drive electronics (IDE) connectors and mechanical components. SATA SSDs deliver faster data transfer speeds, quicker application launches and shorter file loading times. Their broad compatibility with legacy systems and affordable pricing make them a popular choice for upgrading older laptops and desktops, especially in personal and business computing environments​.​ The SATA interface was superseded by Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe).

NVMe SSDs (Non-Volatile Memory Express)

NVMe SSDs or Non-Volatile Memory Express drives, use the PCIe® interface to unlock the full-speed potential of NAND flash. Bypassing legacy protocols like SATA and IDE, NVMe enables ultra-fast data access with minimal latency. These SSDs are ideal for high-performance computing, gaming systems and enterprise workloads that demand rapid data throughput.

Enterprise SSDs

​​Enterprise SSDs are engineered for mission-critical environments where high reliability, endurance and data integrity are essential. These drives feature power-loss protection, advanced error correction, high drive-writes-per-day (DWPD) ratings, advanced error correction and power-loss protection. They deliver sustained performance under heavy workloads and are optimized​ data centers, cloud platforms and applications in AI and machine learning. Enterprise SSDs help organizations scale storage efficiently while reducing energy consumption and infrastructure complexity.​

External SSDs

External SSDs offer portable, high-speed storage for consumers and professionals. They connect via USB or Thunderbolt and are ideal for tasks like media editing, backups and transferring large files between devices.

Embedded SSDs

Embedded SSDs are integrated directly into devices like smartphones, tablets, internet of things (IoT) systems and automotive platforms. They prioritize space efficiency, low power consumption and reliability. Technologies like eMMC and UFS are common in mobile devices, while NVMe is increasingly used in high-performance embedded systems.

How are solid state drives used?

SSDs are foundational to modern computing, supporting a wide range of applications across consumer, enterprise and industrial sectors. Their speed, reliability and scalability make them ideal for everything from personal devices to AI-driven data centers.

Personal and business computing

​​SSDs are widely used in laptops, desktops, tablets and gaming consoles to deliver faster boot times, quick application launches and silent operation. Even entry-level SATA SSDs can significantly outperform HDDs in everyday tasks.​​​​​ Gaming systems like the Sony® PlayStation 5® leverage NVMe SSDs with speeds up to 5,500 MB/s, enabling near-instant loading of complex game environments. For professionals, SSDs accelerate workflows in video editing, data analysis and software development especially when paired with high-speed NVMe.​ Micron’s client SSDs offer high performance in compact, energy-efficient designs.

Enterprise data centers and cloud platforms

In enterprise environments, SSDs are critical for powering virtualization, cloud services and AI workloads. NVMe SSDs deliver the sustained throughput and low latency needed for real-time analytics, fraud detection and large-scale data processing. Micron’s PCIe Gen6-based data center SSDs, supporting capacities over 200TB per drive, are ideal for hyperscale data centers and AI data lakes.

Enterprise-class SSDs also contribute to energy efficiency and infrastructure consolidation, helping organizations reduce their carbon footprint while scaling storage to meet growing data demands.

Industrial and embedded applications

SSDs are embedded in systems that operate in harsh or space-constrained environments. In industrial automation, surveillance and automotive platforms, SSDs provide rugged, reliable storage for high-resolution video, telemetry and control systems.

Technologies like UFS and eMMC are common in mobile and IoT devices, while NVME is gaining traction in edge computing and embedded AI systems. Micron’s automotive grade SSDs are built to withstand extreme​ ​conditions and deliver consistent performance.