NVMe boot is overrated for dedicated servers

Dedicated Servers Locked by kei_osa 11mo ago 3 replies 295 views

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kei_osa

Member OP

Joined:: Jun 2024
Posts:: 34
From:: Osaka, Japan

11mo ago

13 #1

I have run identical application stacks on both NVMe and SATA SSD boot configurations. The measured difference in boot time is 0.3 seconds. The cost difference is 40% per month at most budget providers.

My configuration:
- Boot: 240GB SATA SSD or 256GB NVMe
- Data: identical 2TB NVMe arrays
- OS: Debian 12, stock kernel
- Measurement: systemd-analyze from power-on to ssh availability

The SATA boot adds one cable and one U.2 slot remains free. For dedicated servers that reboot quarterly for kernel updates, the NVMe premium funds an additional data drive. The performance delta is in the noise for any workload I have deployed.

I propose that the industry default to SATA boot with NVMe data tiers. The current obsession with all-NVMe is specification theater.

Doug

Member

New Jersey

Joined:: Jul 2024
Posts:: 271
From:: New Jersey, US

11mo ago

Here we go again. The sata defenders have logged on. Next someone will tell us ddr4 is fine actually and we should all go back to spinning rust for the aesthetic

grabs popcorn, checks /r/drama

everseoul

Member

Joined:: Jun 2024
Posts:: 45
From:: Seoul, South Korea

11mo ago

Same stack here and I never noticed the boot diff

OwnerSeeker

Member

Small Biz

Joined:: Nov 2024
Posts:: 91
From:: Portland, USA

11mo ago · edited

What kernel version on that Debian 12?

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