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SMART is a critical technology for SSDs, or solid-state drives. It makes locating the source of a failure simple and helps to reduce the occurrence of future failures. SMART SSD monitoring and performance is an important tool for industrial applications that use industrial Flash storage. Here are answers to common questions that will help you clear up any confusion about SMART and SSDs.

What is SMART?

SMART is an acronym that stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. As the name suggests, the SMART feature collects and analyzes data about the performance of a drive. When the data is examined, it can tell an engineer or developer about errors that could indicate an impending failure or show what happened within a system if a problem has already occurred.

The original goal for SMART was to anticipate and avoid problems with HDDs, or hard disc drives. HDDs are vulnerable to mechanical failures, and SMART identifies the signs that a mechanical failure could be close to occurring. SMART tracks things like heat output and noise levels that can be early indicators of a failure. If these problems are identified before they occur or before they can cause serious damage, it could save an extensive amount of time and money.

How does SMART technology work with SSDs?

Unlike HDDs, SSDs are not vulnerable to mechanical failure. As such, the data collected about the issues that indicate a potential problem with an HDD are not relevant to SSD reports. However, it is possible for the data reported through SMART technology to be geared towards things that are meaningful for SSDs, such as wear leveling, correction errors, and spare block count. If engineers can determine specific levels of these problems that indicate a potential failure, he or she can go into action to prevent performance disruptions. For example, the SMART system will let you know if you are close to running out of storage space.

Do all SSDs have SMART technology?

SMART technology is common in SSDs, but they do not all have it. If SMART technology is important for you to have, check the technical specifications before selecting an SSD.  To learn if SMART technology is part of the SSD you’re choosing, contact Delkin. We’re available to answer questions and provide technical specifications for your product choices.

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