If you're running 3PAR and wondering if the Primera is worth migrating to, here's the short answer: the performance difference is substantial enough that it might be the upgrade that actually makes your life easier. Primera runs the same OS as 3PAR so there’s less of a learning curve for most IT managers. So could it be worth the investment.
What we're comparing
Introduced as part of HPE's 3PAR line, the 3PAR 8400 was designed for scalable enterprise workloads, while the HPE Primera A630, launched in 2019, focuses on mission-critical performance with added automation and intelligence.
HPE 3PAR StoreServ 8400
The 3PAR 8400 is an all-flash SAN Storage Array designed for SAS SSD and SAS Spinning Disk storage, with 8Gbit/16Gbit Fibre Channel and 10 Gbit iSCSI SAN to host server connectivity, supporting both Block and File (SMB) shared storage.
It's proven kit. Reliable. But it's also showing its age and comes to ‘Service EOL’ in August 2026, which means there won’t be any more 3PAR InformOS software patches, firmware upgrade or updates for the HPE 3PAR 8000 Series SAN Storage Arrays.
HPE Primera A630
The Primera A630 (part of the 600 series) redefines all-flash SAN Storage by adding NVMe SSD alongside SAS SSD and SAS Spinning Disk options, with 16/32Gbit Fibre Channel and 10/25Gbit iSCSI SAN to Host Server connectivity, supporting both Block and File (SMB) shared storage.
Where the Primera 600 gives you a performance advantage over 3PAR 8000
Here's where it gets interesting. The benchmark charts below compare the HPE Primera A630 with all-flash NVMe SSDs against the HPE 3PAR 8400 with all-flash SAS SSDs.
The results show the HPE Primera A630 with all-flash NVMe SSDs delivers far superior ‘random’ I/O performance across the board—random reads, random writes, and mixed workloads, which is a huge performance gain for small file workloads like;
- Transactional Databases (SQL)
- Virtual Server Environments (VMware, Hyper-V)
- Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
- Online Transactional (NoSQL) Databases
- ERP and CRM Applications
- High-Volume Email Servers (Microsoft Exchange)
- Analytics and Content Management Systems
If you're running any of these workloads, that performance difference translates directly to reduced latency and faster query times. Which means fewer tickets from users complaining about slow application performance.
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What This Actually Means
We like 3PAR and we know it still works for plenty of businesses. But "still works" and "performs optimally for current workloads" are different conversations. The gap between SAS SSD and NVMe for these uses isn't marginal it's the difference between keeping up and actually having headroom.
And that headroom matters when you're trying to stretch budget cycles, delay replacements, or squeeze more life out of existing infrastructure.
If you're evaluating options or facing end-of-support decisions, Primera isn't just a newer badge on the same platform. The performance improvement is real, measurable, and substantial enough to change how your storage keeps pace with demand.
