If you’ve upgraded your desktop or laptop computer with an SSD, you’ll already know how much SSDs can affect the speed of your system. The operating system starts up much faster and it takes much less time to open complex programs and larger files. SSDs, which are fast replacing the well-known HDDs, are not only used in PCs, but are also indispensable for advanced servers, as they greatly speed up the performance of websites thanks to their much faster data reading and writing speeds.

We have great news for all our subscribers! We are very happy to announce that NEOSERV is one of the first web hosting providers in Slovenia to use SSD disk drives in our new line of equipment for the fastest possible hosting. Not only new customers will benefit from faster servers, but also existing ones, as the migration process to SSD servers is already underway.

How is SSD different from HDD?

The HardDisk Drive (HDD ) is a technology that is almost 60 years old and was first introduced in 1956 by the American computer company IBM. While the HDD has changed considerably since its original design, the basic principle of operation remains the same. It is a disc made up of several round metal discs, which are coated with a magnetic substance. Above the rotating metal platters is a read-write head which allows data to be read and written. The faster the plates rotate, the faster the two processes occur. HDDs in most PCs rotate at 5 400 RPM or 7 200 RPM, while faster HDDs – 10 000 RPM or 15 000 RPM – are more commonly used for server applications.

Solid State Drives (SSDs ) work on a completely different technology, as the drive has no moving parts, but uses flash memory cells for reading and writing. While SSDs are much more expensive than HDDs, they offer a number of advantages over HDDs.

Advantages of SSDs

Speed: The main advantage of non-moving SSDs is definitely their speed, as they can be up to 100x faster than their HDD predecessors. This is particularly important in online business, as a faster website inspires more confidence in visitors, which is especially important in the case of online shops. Read more about the importance of website speed here.

SSD vs HDD – read and write speed (MB/s)

SSD vs HDD – read and write speed (IOPS)

Resilience: Because SSDs have no moving parts, they are much less likely to be damaged or suffer technical failure. SSDs have a longer lifespan compared to HDDs.

Energy consumption: The choice of SSDs is also more environmentally justified, as the energy consumption is about 80% lower than with HDD technology. This reduces costs in the long run and, in the case of notebook applications, the advantage also means longer battery life.

Noise and temperature: SSDs are virtually inaudible because, unlike HDDs, they contain no moving parts. And because they consume less power, they also heat up much less.

Weight: Classic 2.5-inch HDDs, which are built into most laptops, weigh on average a good half a kilo, while a 2.5-inch SSD weighs less than 100 grams.

Don’t let your website run slowly!

At NEOSERV we have always been aware of the importance of fast website responsiveness, which is why until recently we had the highest quality HDDs running at 15,000 RPM in our servers. This has given us a better quality and much faster service compared to most other web hosting providers who still use HDDs with a speed of 7,200 or 10,000 RPM.

In the second quarter of 2015, we took a further step forward. By upgrading our servers with super-fast SSDs, we delivered an even better user experience and even more satisfied customers. Has web hosting become more expensive as a result of the new acquisition? Of course not, we’re keeping the same great prices as before.

Don’t let your website run slowly. Try our services and see the quality of our servers for yourself!