Can intel optane memory use as storage?

[chanwei21]

Hi,

Q> can the M.2 intel optane 16/32 gb memory use as boot drive?
can it be a storage or it is just a memory?

example installing FreeNAS OS on the 16gb optane?

 

[jay.wooster]

Optane memory can be used as storage but i would want more than 32GB for a boot drive. There are more that just the two options available but it gets very expensive once you get above 100GB

 

[jay.wooster]

Prior to me setting up my M.2 Optane drive as a cache for my Seagate HDD it appears in Disk Management as any other SSD or HDD would and can be magaed as such.

 

[jay.wooster]

That being said using Optane as a Boot Drive is around the same as using a Samsung 960 EVO SSD as your Boot Drive.... Some good reading on the topic, including reference to using a 32GB Optane as a boot drive...

http://www.legitreviews.com/intel-optane-memory-tested-boot-drive-secondary-raid-0_194237

 

[USAFRet]

Hi,

Q> can the M.2 intel optane 16/32 gb memory use as boot drive?
can it be a storage or it is just a memory?

example installing FreeNAS OS on the 16gb optane?

It is really a cache space, but you could probably force it into being a boot drive.
But why? You're not going to get any magically fast operation vs a regular NVMe, or even a regular SATA III SSD.
And be limited to that tiny space.

Don't be sucked into the "OMG FASTER!!" syndrome.
We're getting into chasing diminishing benefits.

Twice as fast as "instant" is still only "instant".

 

[chanwei21]

yes, im planing building a FreeNAS, looking at M.2 as my boot drive and get raid over 6 SATA.
FreeNAS OS only need 8GB of space other than that xtra space will be sacrificed as nothing.
and yes I'm also looking for 64gb and 128gb m.2 ssd for more cheaper prices or maybe the optane 16gb will be moe faster than a normal m.2 not nvme because nvme are more expensive than optane.