Intel Goes On Storage Offensive With SSD Blitz For Data Center, Client And Embedded Segments

Intel Thursday unveiled an array of solid state drives geared toward entry-level cloud and data center deployments, Internet of Things and enterprise PC applications.

Intel executives said the new SSDs, rolled out at the Intel Solutions Summit this week in Orlando, Fla., are optimized for the channel so partners can better monetize the explosion of data.

’With the data explosion, there are massive opportunities for everyone in the channel, from integrators to resellers who deal with value-added solutions,’ said Chris Tobias, director of channel marketing for Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel's Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group. ’Anyone in the channel will see a significant business opportunity from this, which is why Intel’s investing in SSDs.’

[Related: Intel Channel Chief Todd Garrigues: We Want Double-Digit Channel Growth In 2016]

For the data center segment, Intel unveiled the P3520 and P3320 series, its first SSDs built on 3-D NAND, a technology the company introduced a year ago as the ’world’s highest-density flash memory.’

Channel partners were specifically asking for 3-D NAND storage offerings as they make SSDs a more affordable option when deploying multiple NVMe storage arrays for processing large sets of data, said Tobias. These PCIe-based series are optimized for cost-effective performance and are targeted at read-intensive applications in cloud and data analytics.

Partners applauded Intel’s new SSDs, particularly in the data center segment, as critical in helping their customers keep up with the explosion of data in enterprise cloud and client computing applications.

’Intel’s new line of SSDs are faster, more reliable, and have better value,’ said Donna Shepard, senior vice president of Dallas-based M&A Technology, an Intel partner. ’The range of SSDs include all the things customers have come to us saying they want for servers being built.’

Intel also released the 3700 and 3600 Series for partners focusing on the data center, touting them as its first dual-port PCIe-based SSDs. These SSDs, aimed at mission-critical cloud and enterprise storage solutions such as online transaction processing, work well in situations where businesses need to ensure data is accessible at all times without interruption, even when there is a single point of failure.

Beyond the data center, Intel unveiled SSDs designed for both consumer and enterprise client applications, including the SSD Pro 5400s Series, targeted at business client needs with enhanced security and manageability features. This series includes support for the Trusted Computing Group’s Opal 2.0 protocol and Microsoft eDrive, has storage capacities ranging from 120 GB to 1 TB, and is available in both the 2.5-inch and M.2 form factors.

Partners were particularly pleased by the 5400s Series’ remote secure erase feature, which allows enterprises to wipe sensitive corporate data remotely on compromised devices, Tobias said.

Finally, Intel made its first foray into embedded and Internet of Things-targeted SSDs with its SSD E 5400s and E 5410s series. The 5400s Series is targeted at applications ranging from smart signage to point-of-sale devices, while the 5410s contains Power Loss Imminent technology to reduce the possibility of data loss during a power failure.

Looking forward, Tobias said partners serve as a ’hotbed of innovation’ for storage solutions in data center, client and Internet of Things, and will have ample opportunities for monetizing the dynamic storage market.

Intel will continue to expand its SSD offerings for embedded and IoT applications, an area where partner demand for those specific products is also strong, he added.