Intel rolled out its latest data center SSD series, the Intel DC P3100 SSD Series is geared toward the low end of the market.

Intel's latest offering for data centers, the Intel DC P3100 SSD Series is certainly not the first NVme SSD to be introduced in the market but a first for Intel who has delved with the M.2 form factor in its DC S3500 M.2 Enterprise SSD, according to Tom's Hardware.

The Intel DC P3100 SSD Series, according to Intel, is part of the 3D NAND SSD Family that is specifically designed for data centers. The hardware is Intel's first 3D NAND TLC-Based M.2 form factor SSD that comes with the PCIe 3.0x4 NVme interface. The unit is a single-sided M.2 form factor that Intel says will provide data centers the flexibility to deliver higher density storage solutions and its single-sided design also allows for more space allocation for other server components critical to the system.

As data centers grow, the idea of cost efficient storage devices plays a factor in the upkeep of its servers. The Intel DC P3100 SSD Series entry into the market offers an alternative for companies looking to save costs while maintaining data security and high-performance. As of date, there is currently no smaller form factor than the M.2 with the highest performing interface that employs NVMe.

Another benefit data centers would expect aside from its small footprint and low power consumption is that the Intel DC P3100 is validated for the most common data center use. Task cases include booting, search indexing, edge caching, and web hosting.

Key Specifications for the P3100 include a choice capacity of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. Sequential Read-Write (MB/s) 1,800/175, Random Read-Write (IOPS) 114K/10K. Mean-Time-Between-Failures (MTBF) is rated at 1.6 million hours. AFR 0.73 percent and operating temperature 0⁰ C to 70⁰ C.

The Intel DC P3100 SSD Series standard MSRP: $72 for 128GB, $109 for 256GB, $199 for 512GB, and $369 for 1TB, all units come with a 5-year warranty and is available now.