NVMe

Almost every current notebook and many servers today contain an NVMe SSD. It is significantly faster than older SATA drives – and requires different erasure methods than a classic hard drive. This entry explains what NVMe is and what matters when decommissioning.

What is NVMe?

The abbreviation stands for Non-Volatile Memory Express. "Non-volatile memory" means memory that retains data even without power, like the NAND flash in a SSD. The first specification was published in 2011. The publisher is the industry consortium NVM Express.

Older SSDs use the SATA interface with the AHCI protocol, which was originally developed for magnetic hard drives. AHCI knows only one command queue. NVMe, by contrast, allows a very large number of queues in parallel and addresses the memory directly via PCI Express. This makes better use of the strengths of flash memory.

NVMe and SATA compared

Feature	SATA SSD	NVMe SSD
Connection	SATA interface	PCI Express
Protocol	AHCI, one command queue	NVMe, many parallel queues
Typical form factors	2.5 inch, M.2 (SATA)	M.2, U.2/U.3, EDSFF, add-in card
Erase commands	ATA Secure Erase, ATA Sanitize	NVMe Format, NVMe Sanitize

Be careful with the form factor: M.2 describes only the format of the module. An M.2 module can be connected via SATA or via NVMe. The type designation of the drive shows which variant is present.

What to note when retiring devices

• Erase with suitable commands: NVMe SSDs come with their own commands that treat the entire memory, including internal spare blocks. More on this under NVMe Format and NVMe Sanitize.
• Mind the encryption: Many NVMe SSDs encrypt internally. In that case cryptographic erasure is also possible, see Crypto Erase.
• Do not forget small modules: M.2 modules are only a few centimeters in size. Removed modules should be recorded with their serial number and secured separately.
• Permanently soldered storage: In some notebooks the flash memory is soldered directly onto the mainboard. It cannot be removed and must be erased in the device.

Which methods are suitable for HDDs, SATA and NVMe SSDs is shown in the guide Securely erasing hard drives and SSDs.

NVMe SSDs at Second IT

Second IT erases HDDs, SSDs and mobile devices using Blancco software and issues a digitally signed erasure certificate for every device. Data carriers that cannot be erased are destroyed in-house in accordance with DIN 66399, certified for security level H-5. More on certified data deletion.

Frequently asked questions about NVMe

Is every M.2 SSD an NVMe SSD?

No. M.2 is a form factor. There are M.2 SSDs with SATA connection and with NVMe over PCI Express. The type designation or the system information shows which variant is installed.

Can I overwrite an NVMe SSD like a hard drive?

Overwriting does not reliably reach all internal storage areas on SSDs. Better suited are the NVMe-native commands Sanitize or Format with erase function, ideally followed by verification and a report.

Are NVMe SSDs harder to destroy?

They are smaller, and the data sits on tiny flash chips. For physical destruction, the requirements for electronic data carriers under DIN 66399 with small particle sizes therefore apply.

What is the difference between NVMe and SATA?

SATA SSDs use the SATA interface with the AHCI protocol and one command queue. NVMe addresses the memory directly via PCI Express and allows a very large number of parallel queues. This makes NVMe SSDs significantly faster.

What to do with permanently soldered flash memory in a notebook?

In some notebooks the flash memory is soldered directly onto the mainboard. It cannot be removed and must therefore be erased in the device using suitable erase commands. A report for each device documents the result.