Enterprise and Data Center Standard Form Factor explained

The Enterprise and Data Center Standard Form Factor (EDSFF), previously known as the Enterprise and Data Center SSD Form Factor, is a family of solid-state drive (SSD) form factors for use in data center servers.

Form factors

EDSFF was developed by the Small Form Factor Technology Affiliate technical work group, which is itself under the organizational stewardship of the Storage Networking Industry Association.^[1]

As a family of form factors, it defines specifications for the mechanical dimensions and electrical interfaces devices should have, to ensure compatibility between disparate hardware manufacturers. The standard is meant to replace the U.2 form factors for drives used in data centers.^[1] EDSFF provides a pure NVMe over PCIe interface. One common way to provide EDSFF connections on the motherboard is through MCIO connectors.

EDSFF SSDs are made in six sizes: E1.L (Long) and E1.S (Short), E2.L and E2.S, and E3.L and E3.S. ^[2]

Samsung's NGSFF (also known as M.3 or NF1) form factor competes with EDSFF.^[3]

See also

• M.2
• ePCIe
• CXL

External links

• Solid State Drive Form Factors on SNIA's website
• E1 and E3 EDSFF to Take Over from M.2 and 2.5 in SSDs

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hands . Jonmichael . EDSFF – A Dynamic Family of Form Factors for Data Center SSDs .
2. Web site: SFF-TA-1008 Enterprise and Datacenter Device Form Factor (E3) 2.0. 6 November 2020. 22 November 2021.
3. Web site: PCI-SIG Warns of Incompatibilities Between M.2 and Samsung's NGSFF/NF1.