For this page, solid state hard drives and flash memory will be defined as the same type of storage system. The storage concepts with the two devices are the same, but the physical hardware properties are different.
Solid state hard drives and magnetic hard drives have different characteristics when used on any computer (this includes smart phones and mobile devices).
While flash memory cards have been in used, in this tech portal, since 2001 for mobile devices, their intended purposes were utilized as an MP3 player or for a digital still camera. San Disk flash memory cards were used for both devices back then.
Overtime, as Blackberries, Palm Pilots, and Smart phones were released, these memory cards were integrated into them to store files, play videos, take photos, and eventually use them for video recording purposes.
What has happened with these solid state devices is the ability to use them for laptop computers, making them lightweight, better power management, and less of a chance of crashing a magnetic hard drive if the computer was bumped. It also increased the speed of which is used to access or record information (especially with HD videos) but some computer applications aren't intended for flash drive memory.
SSD and databases
If you are using a computer for a database server, be careful which ones you choose to use. Solid state hard drives and magnetic hard drives don't store information the same way. Using a solid state drive to store data on database server can crash the drive that can lead to unrecoverable data (using solid state drive to back up the database server is OK).
How files are stored
As hard drives are used, files gets added as well as deleted. A magnetic based hard drive can use available sectors on an active hard drive to store a file if the sectors aren't connected together known as a fragmented file (using sectors where information used to be that are available regardless of file size). Sometimes the computer will defrag the hard drive to put the file together (known as contiguous).
Solid state drives disregard available sectors if the file is bigger than the available sector size. This storage method causes a few problems:
1. Wasted space that isn't used for storage
2. The computer may spend additional time looking for available place to place the file that has contiguous space slowing the computer down.
A few years ago, 1TB memory card in your smart phone, was applied using tiny micro SSD cards a few years ago. While San Disk and others make them they should never be sued for the following reasons (unless they are 512gb or less):
1. Overheating. Solid state device require electronics, the more memory they have and the smaller they are, they will overheat while in operation. This overheating process can effect the device you are using as well.
2. Slower performance when device is 2/3 full or higher. Because of the way files are stored, the less room there is, the more time the computer will use to store a file. If you still want to use them, follow the rule of 3rds, when the device is 2/3 full, upgrade it.
Solid state devices are great for backing up large amounts of data if you erase them before backing data up or use the rule of 3rd's (when it's 2/3 full, it is time to clean or upgrade).
Using SSD technology for your phone
It is a good idea to use a phone with SD storage that you can control so that you can take the photos (stored on the card) and transfer them to the other device.
That way, your information is backed up and easy to upgrade from phone to phone.
If you encrypted the card (another good idea) that information won't be available on the phone you upgrade too. The can be reformatted and used on the new phone.
Many phones can backup information using another computer to store the information to another hard drive as well.
Newer phone models can use a flash memory stick (or card) connected to the phone (via the USB or lightning port) to back up files from the phone to the device. Make sure that your phone is compatible to recognize this. Some disable this feature for security reasons.
To prevent damage to data and devices that use them
Flash memory sticks
Should only be used up to 512gb of memory to prevent overheating.
Micro SD cards
Regardless of size, these should only go up to 512gb (when used in devices) to prevent overheating
NVME (Non Volatile Memory)
This option can handle heat, when use at 1TB or higher.
Many of these devices contain heat sink to absorb the heat when in use.
Enclosures can be added to the device to absorb the heat as well as serve as a backup to your phone or other devices (when connected to the USB port)
SATA drives
SATA SSD drives are great to use not only for their speed but they require less power to operate (over magnetic drives).
The small design can be used as a backup source that can easily be stored without worrying about magnetic fields.
There are cables available that can attach to computers to act as an external storage device.
This server farm uses all methods of SSD technology to run this website using WD Blue for website applications (as SATA), San Disk (micro SD) for applications on the Raspberry Pi, and WD Red NVME for database operations.
SSD devices are tested on the this system before it is applied. As storage options are becoming available in 8tb, that is under testing at this time using WD Black.