Storage Application Model (SAM)

What is SAM?

SAM stands for Storage Application Model, which is simply a method to choose the right drive for your application. SAM combines application requirements and disc design considerations to produce a clear understanding of why one drive works better than another for certain applications. The bottom line is that SAM helps you choose the right drive for your application by understanding requirements and positioning enterprise and desktop drives appropriately.

Seagate Strength

The strength of Seagate lies in its ability to design a comprehensive mix of storage devices that meet your application requirements while balancing performance, reliability and cost. SAM pulls together performance and reliability data that shows each drive’s capabilities for the application requirements so you can consider all aspects of cost of ownership and make the right choice.

Choosing the Right Drive

The perceived convergence of interface technologies is causing some industry confusion. Many IT professionals, system integrators and resellers are trying to understand where one interface starts and another ends. SAM outlines the drive design considerations, including a comprehensive look at the different interfaces aligned to drive classes and application requirements.

The Storage Application Model

There are five key components of SAM that are used to drive the fastest Return On investment (ROI), the lowest Total Cost-of-Ownership (TCO), and the highest customer satisfaction. When you understand the storage profiles and application requirements, storage choices become clearer. SAM walks you through application needs and the drive profiles to show how drives are designed to meet specific needs.

Five SAM Components

1. Workload is determined by the type of drive access patterns.
2. Applications drive the workload, reliability, and performance requirements.
3. Reliability affects system availability, downtime, service requirements, and ability to handle heavier workloads.
4. Performance is the timeliness of system response to workload.
5. Drive profiles are designed around application requirements.

In summary, using SAM to determine the best HDD for the job will help you filter the information you encounter and will clear up complicated interface confusion.