Dell S4520 3.84 TB SATA Read Intensive 2.5" SSD with 3.5" Carrier

Upgrade your data center with the Dell S4520 3.84 TB Solid State Drive, a high-capacity 2.5-inch internal SSD designed for demanding read‑intensive workloads. Built to deliver fast, reliable access to data-heavy files, this drive combines dense storage with enterprise-grade performance, helping to accelerate applications, databases, and virtualization environments. The 512e format ensures seamless compatibility with legacy storage environments while preserving the benefits of solid-state performance. Paired with the included 3.5-inch carrier, the S4520 offers a straightforward, plug-and-play path to expanding capacity in servers and storage arrays without sacrificing reliability or data integrity. Whether you’re refreshing a storage pool, building a high-read-cache for a database, or provisioning OS boot drives for a fleet of servers, this drive is engineered to keep data flowing smoothly and workloads responsive.

• The Dell S4520 delivers a massive 3.84 TB capacity in a compact 2.5-inch form factor, providing ample space for large databases, content libraries, virtual machine images, and archival data while minimizing the number of drives required in a chassis. This density helps reduce footprint, cabling, and power consumption in dense servers and storage arrays, translating to lower total cost of ownership over time.
• Equipped with a 3.5-inch carrier for easy integration into standard enterprise drive bays, the Dell S4520 simplifies server and rack deployments. The carrier enables quick installation in hot-swappable bays and backplanes, allowing data centers to scale storage without complicated reconfigurations or specialized hardware. This compatibility makes it an ideal upgrade for servers that previously relied on HDDs or smaller-capacity SSDs.
• Interface and throughput are optimized for read-intensive workloads thanks to the SATA (SATA/600) interface. With up to 6 Gbps of data transfer speed, the S4520 delivers strong sequential reads and solid random read performance, which improves boot times, application startup, and data retrieval from cache layers. This makes it well-suited for OS drives, application caches, and read-heavy databases where latency and responsiveness matter most.
• Read Intensive design is purpose-built for workloads where reads dominate writes, such as reference data repositories, read-heavy databases, media streaming servers, and virtualization read caching. The drive’s internal architecture prioritizes read performance and steady latency, helping ensure consistent user experiences and predictable service levels for time-sensitive workloads.
• 512e format compatibility ensures seamless coexistence with legacy storage environments. The drive presents 512-byte logical blocks to the host, while using larger physical 4K sectors internally. This alignment minimizes compatibility issues when replacing older drives, simplifies cloning and imaging tasks, and reduces migration risk during platform upgrades. It also helps ensure better compatibility with a broad range of operating systems and RAID configurations.

Technical Details of Dell S4520 3.84 TB SSD

• Capacity: 3.84 TB
• Form factor: 2.5" internal
• Interface: SATA (SATA/600)
• Carrier: 3.5" carrier included
• Drive type: Read Intensive
• Sector format: 512e
• OEM/brand: Dell S4520 series

How to install Dell S4520 3.84 TB SSD

• Prepare your workstation or server: power down the system, disconnect all power sources, and ground yourself to prevent static discharge. Have your server manual and the Dell S4520 installation guide on hand to verify bay compatibility and bolt layouts.
• Install the 3.5" carrier: if your chassis requires a 3.5" carrier for 2.5" drives, insert the Dell S4520 into the carrier and secure it with the provided screws. Ensure the carrier locks into the drive bay with a firm, unobstructed fit to prevent vibration or disconnection during operation.
• Connect data and power: slide the drive assembly into the server backplane or SATA cage and connect the SATA data cable and power connector. Confirm a solid connection and avoid applying excessive force that could bend pins or damage ports.
• Secure and route cables: route cables neatly to maintain airflow and reduce the risk of cable strain. Use cable ties or management brackets as needed to keep connections stable and accessible for future maintenance.
• Power up and verify: boot the system and enter the BIOS or RAID controller configuration utility. Confirm that the Dell S4520 3.84 TB SSD is detected, note its model and capacity, and proceed to initialize or configure it as per your storage policy (RAID, JBOD, or passthrough). If applicable, perform a firmware check and update to ensure optimal compatibility and performance.
• Format and deploy: if the drive will be used as a standalone volume, format it with the appropriate file system and sector size matching your workload. For RAID configurations, add the drive to the appropriate logical drive group and verify performance benchmarks and redundancy settings align with your service levels.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the capacity of the Dell S4520 SSD? The Dell S4520 is a 3.84 TB solid-state drive designed for read-intensive workloads and large-scale storage needs.
• What form factor and carrier are included? It is a 2.5-inch internal SSD that ships with a 3.5-inch carrier, enabling easy installation in servers and drive bays that support 3.5" carriers.
• What interface does this drive use? The drive uses the SATA interface, specifically SATA/600 (SATA 6Gb/s), offering reliable throughput for read-heavy tasks.
• What does 512e format mean for compatibility? 512e means the drive emulates 512-byte sectors for general compatibility with older systems while internally using 4K sectors for improved performance and efficiency, simplifying migrations and replacements in legacy environments.
• Is this drive suitable for OS boot or caching? Yes. The Dell S4520’s read-intensive design and large capacity make it an excellent candidate for OS boot drives, application caches, and read-heavy databases, providing fast data access with predictable latency.
• What steps should I take to ensure reliability in a server environment? Keep firmware up to date, verify compatibility with your RAID/controller, properly cool the chassis to prevent thermal throttling, and monitor wear-levels and SMART attributes through your management software to anticipate maintenance needs before failures occur.
• Can I use this drive in mixed-drive arrays? Yes, the SATA interface and 512e sector format support a wide range of configurations, including mixed SSD/HDD setups or SSD-only arrays, provided your controller and software are configured for optimal performance and redundancy.