Apple Mac Pro (2023) Onboard Internal NVMe SSD 2-Module Configuration

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Apple Mac Pro (2023) Onboard Internal NVMe SSD 2-Module Configuration

The Apple 🍎 Mac Pro 🖥️ (2023) implements the 1 TB and 2 TB configuration as a single 1 TB or 2 TB NVMe SSD module respectively leaving the 2nd NVMe socket unpopulated and the 4 TB and 8 TB configuration with two 2 TB NVMe SSDs for the 4 TB configuration and two 4 TB NVMe SSDs for the 8 TB configuration as shown in the Configure your Mac Pro (Configure your Mac Pro - Apple Support) page in Mac Pro Essentials on the Apple 🍎 Support website:

For the 4 TB and 8 TB configurations, how is Apple configuring them in Apple 🍎 macOS 🖥️: together as a single 4 TB or 8 TB volume for the 4 TB or 8 TB configurations respectively in either a RAID 0 (striping) or concatenated span OR as 2 separate and independent 2 TB volumes for the 4 TB configuration (and 2 separate and independent 4 TB volumes for the 8 TB configuration)?

If they are being combined into a single 4 TB or 8 TB volume, how are they being done so:

1) in RAID Assistant in Disk Utility (Create a disk set using Disk Utility on Mac - Apple Support) and if so, as a

a) RAID 0 (striping)

OR

b) as a concatenated span (what Apple 🍎 incorrectly calls a “JBOD”, which it is not: JBODs are separate pass through independent drives seen directly as separate individual drives, bypassing any RAID logic or configuration)

or

2) some other method in the firmware or EFI neither visible to nor controllable by the user

If they are being implemented as individual 2 separate independent 2 TB or 4 TB volumes, is there an option to set them up as a single combined 4 TB or 8 TB volume respectively during the 1st time start up and initial set up of Apple 🍎 macOS 🖥️ when powering and setting up the Mac Pro 🖥️ for the 1st time?

Is it possible to set up the two internal onboard Apple 🍎 NVMe SSDs in a combined single volume RAID configuration and still have it macOS 🖥️ bootable from it?

If the 2 TB configuration is purchased from Apple 🍎, is it possible to later purchase another single 2 TB Apple NVMe SSD (Apple 2TB SSD Upgrade Kit for Mac Pro - Apple) from Apple 🍎 and install it in the empty unpopulated second NVMe slot AND migrate the entire 2 TB SSD boot volume to either a single combined bootable RAID 1 (mirror), RAID 0 (striping), or concatenated span volume without having to erase it completely and set it up from scratch using another Mac 🖥️?

What is the Apple part # for the single 1 TB Apple NVMe SSD module for the Mac Pro 🖥️ (2023) and how can I order or source it so that I can add it to a Mac Pro configured with 1 TB of internal NVMe SSD storage at the time of purchase from Apple 🍎?

System Information in Apple 🍎 macOS Ventura in the Mac Pro 🖥️ (2023) identifies the Apple 🍎 installed 1 TB Apple 🍎 NVMe SSD as “Apple SSD AP1024Z” (but that is not a part # such as “MR393AM/A” for the 2 TB Apple NVMe SSD):

(*Note to admins: all hyperlinks in this post are URLs pointing to the Apple 🍎 website and should not be in violation of ANY community standards or policies and thus should not be purged as improperly done so by by admins in my previous post(s) in this discussion forum.)

Mac Pro (2023)

Posted on Aug 25, 2023 12:55 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 25, 2023 6:57 AM in response to FlyerKumar

<< 2) some other method in the firmware or EFI neither visible to nor controllable by the user >>

THAT. and you have no control over how it is done. in addition, Apple takes a little tiny bit off the top to use for extended parameter RAM, that you will NEVER have direct access to.

You are massively over-thinking this. If there were a way to make it faster, Apple would already be doing it. Suggesting they are somehow "holding out on you" is utter nonsense.

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Answer 2

FlyerKumar Author

Level 1

15 points

Aug 25, 2023 8:16 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant Bennet-Alder–

So, it is not using the RAID Assistant function Disk Utility 🛠️ to implement it as AppleCare 🍎 technical support senior advisors and sales both claimed to me over the phone 📞 without corroborating documentation or proof?

What am I massively “overthinking” exactly?

I am being explicit to leave 0 room for misunderstanding of my question to avoid any confusion as to what I am asking.

I have been given conflicting information from Apple 🍎, AppleCare 🍎 technical support 👨‍🔧 senior advisors, and sales who have conflictingly claimed that set up as a RAID 0 (striping), individual separate independent drives, or that it gives you a choice during 1st time set up on 1st time boot and start up in to macOS depending on who I speak to: they are either guessing or no one really knows (or both)!

This is not just “holding out” on me (to quote your words): that lack of coherence and diametrically conflicting information is what is utter nonsense and just as bad if not worse than “holding out" on me. They should know this without struggle and be able to communicate this to me with ease just like every other major computer manufacturer in the world such as Dell and HP is able to instantly and reflexively.

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Answer 3

Aug 25, 2023 8:23 AM in response to FlyerKumar

I am really sorry if you got conflicting information from a 'search' of Apple employees. But this is no different from a 'search' with google. You MUST be skeptical!

When Apple store personnel and Apple first-responder telephone support personnel have time set aside for training, the Topic is always "How to be nicer to our valued customers." Only the second-level Specialists spend substantial time in technical training, and can be impatient and abrupt on the phone.

The nuances of how the internal boot SSD is organized is described in Apple support articles. if not described in enough detail for your liking, then assume the answer is "Not available publicly for Security reasons. Use the standard system calls to read and write the drives."

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Apple Mac Pro (2023) Onboard Internal NVMe SSD 2-Module Configuration

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