HPE 3.5" LFF Value SAS (vSAS) Server SSD

HPE 3.5" LFF Value SAS (vSAS) SSDs bring native 12Gb SAS flash to large form factor bays at pricing close to enterprise SATA. We stock genuine HPE LFF vSAS drives in new and refurbished condition, in 960GB and 1.92TB Mixed Use.

What is Value SAS?

Value SAS is a native SAS SSD — not a SATA drive behind a bridge or interposer. It speaks the full SCSI (SSP) command set end to end with no protocol translation, runs a full-duplex 12Gb/s link, and works natively behind SAS expanders. Physically it is identical to an enterprise SAS SSD of the same form factor, including the one-piece SFF-8482/8680 connector with no SATA notch.

The difference is what HPE leaves out. vSAS implements a single port (the second PHY is not wired), omits T10 PI (DIF/DIX), supports 512-byte sectors only, and uses a value-class controller and NAND back end with reduced over-provisioning. In exchange it costs far less than mainstream enterprise SAS while substantially outperforming 6Gb SATA.

vSAS vs SATA vs enterprise SAS

Feature Enterprise SATA Value SAS (vSAS) Enterprise SAS
Link speed 6Gb/s, half-duplex 12Gb/s, full-duplex 12Gb/s, full-duplex
Ports Single Single Dual (dual-domain HA)
Command set ATA Full SCSI / SSP Full SCSI / SSP
Behind expanders Via STP tunneling Native Native
T10 PI (DIF/DIX) No No Yes
Endurance tiers RI, MU RI, MU (~1–3 DWPD) RI through WI (10+ DWPD)

Performance vs 6Gb SATA

Against enterprise SATA SSDs, HPE's published figures for Value SAS show roughly 1.94× random read IOPS, 1.75× random mixed IOPS, 1.5× sequential read bandwidth, and 1.27× sequential write bandwidth. The gain comes from the faster full-duplex link, deeper command queuing, and native expander operation. Sustained write performance and latency consistency remain below mainstream enterprise SAS.

What we stock in 3.5" LFF

  • Capacities: 960GB and 1.92TB
  • Endurance: Mixed Use (approximately 3 DWPD)
  • Condition: new and refurbished, all genuine HPE and tested

The LFF Value SAS range is narrower than SFF by design. If you need Read Intensive drives or capacities above 1.92TB, see our 2.5" SFF Value SAS SSDs, which run from 960GB to 7.68TB in both Read Intensive and Mixed Use. Many LFF chassis also accept 2.5-inch drives in a 3.5-inch adapter carrier — contact us if you would like to confirm what your server supports.

When to choose Value SAS

Choose vSAS anywhere you would otherwise buy enterprise SATA for single-domain internal server storage — general-purpose virtualization, file and application servers, read-heavy databases, and capacity tiers where you want more throughput than SATA without paying mainstream SAS pricing.

Choose enterprise LFF SAS instead when you need dual-domain or dual-controller high availability, T10 PI end-to-end data protection, non-512-byte sector formatting (520/528/4Kn), or write-intensive endurance above 3 DWPD.

Compatibility and deployment notes

  • Match the carrier to your server generation. Smart Carrier (SC) drives fit Gen8 through Gen10; Low Profile (LP) carriers fit Gen10 Plus, Gen11, and Gen12. They are not interchangeable — see our guide to HPE drive carriers.
  • Never mix drive types within a RAID array. Keep each array on one interface, endurance class, and capacity.
  • vSAS enumerates as a SAS device. Controller tools will not distinguish it by interface, so verify the SKU against QuickSpecs for your specific server generation before ordering.
  • Single-port means single path. If your design depends on redundant controller paths to each drive, vSAS is not the right choice.

Related categories and guides

✅ Not sure whether Value SAS is safe to substitute in your build? Contact us with your server model and we will confirm compatibility before you order.

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