Imagine ordering a new server only to discover that the hard drive you received has been in use for nearly eight years straight. This was the case for someone who ordered an OVH KS-B server equipped with a 160GB Intel SSD (model SSDSC2BB160G4).
The most mind-blowing part? The SSD had already experienced 68,303 hours of use and had already written 394 TBW (terabytes written) — it was rated for 100 TBW! Essentially, the SSD has quadrupled the amount Intel claims the SSD can safely handle.
It is similar to a car, which may still transport you after hundreds of thousands of miles… but you never know when it may leave you on foot. The same logic applies to an SSD — the increased wear = increased chances to fail ultimately.
It is possible that the SSD you receive was used in a completely different server several years ago. This is not a new drive; it is a repurposed SSD. This doesn't necessarily mean it is bad, depending on your own comfort level with risk.
Should you keep it or return it, though? What you plan to do with your server makes a difference:
• Testing, learning, backups: Probably okay. Just be sure you have your data backed up to somewhere else.
• Production, business use: No. When an SSD has been used for well beyond its rated life, it can fail at any time. This is the last thing you want to deal with; losing valuable data.
I suggest asking OVH for an exchange or cancel your order. Although the drive might still work, it is not worth the risk.
To wrap it up, a drive that is nearly 8 years old with almost 400 TBW is still working but only has so long left before failing.
OVH low-cost servers are good to test with or for practice, but if a system is for anything serious, make sure to check the SMART stats, and make sure you want a reliable storage device.
The most mind-blowing part? The SSD had already experienced 68,303 hours of use and had already written 394 TBW (terabytes written) — it was rated for 100 TBW! Essentially, the SSD has quadrupled the amount Intel claims the SSD can safely handle.
What Does 68,303 Hours Mean?
That amounts to 7.8 years of continuous use. Even if the SSD had no errors and no bad sectors it was still clearly, a 'well-loved', and 'well-used', SSD.It is similar to a car, which may still transport you after hundreds of thousands of miles… but you never know when it may leave you on foot. The same logic applies to an SSD — the increased wear = increased chances to fail ultimately.
So Why Would OVH Provide Me with Such an Old SSD?
That's a great question. OVH is a company known to provide cheap servers (the KS or Kimsufi line for example), the KS servers are either refurbished or utilized from earlier setups. This is part of how they can achieve low costs.It is possible that the SSD you receive was used in a completely different server several years ago. This is not a new drive; it is a repurposed SSD. This doesn't necessarily mean it is bad, depending on your own comfort level with risk.
Should you keep it or return it, though? What you plan to do with your server makes a difference:
• Testing, learning, backups: Probably okay. Just be sure you have your data backed up to somewhere else.
• Production, business use: No. When an SSD has been used for well beyond its rated life, it can fail at any time. This is the last thing you want to deal with; losing valuable data.
I suggest asking OVH for an exchange or cancel your order. Although the drive might still work, it is not worth the risk.
To wrap it up, a drive that is nearly 8 years old with almost 400 TBW is still working but only has so long left before failing.
OVH low-cost servers are good to test with or for practice, but if a system is for anything serious, make sure to check the SMART stats, and make sure you want a reliable storage device.