what is solid state storage

Solid-state storage (SSS) is a type of computer storage media that stores data electronically and has no moving parts. It is made from silicon microchips and can be found in various form factors, such as solid-state drives (SSD), solid-state cards (SSC), and solid-state modules (SSM). An SSD is a semiconductor-based storage device that typically uses NAND flash memory to save persistent data. Unlike traditional electromechanical storage devices, solid-state storage virtually eliminates data access latencies and allows significantly higher rates of I/O operations per second (IOPS). Solid-state storage is more efficient in speed compared to hard drives due to its flash-based memory system. It also provides a more predictable lifespan for the storage media and consumes less power, produces less heat, and has better physical shock resistance. Solid-state storage technology requires fundamental changes to IT enterprise architectures in order to optimize performance.