Main drive (SSD or hard drive) failure

[Grauniad]

Redundancy can be so important.

Even Linux Torvalds is not immune to the sudden and unanticipated failure of his main computer due to SSD failure.

http://lkml.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1309.1/01669.html

Seem the next Linux kernel will be delayed by a day or so... :)

[Grauniad]

When Linus Torvalds experiences issues due to the failure of his main drive, people notice. :)

It has renewed interest in the reliability of hard drives vs. SSDs. Surprisingly, it would appear that failures and replacement under warranty ( a key indicatior of reliability) is overwhelmingly  in favor of SSDs - their failure rate is 1.5% vs 5% for hard drives.

More information here in a 2011 article on Tom's Hardware, showing the stellar reliability of the Intel x25 series of SSDs and that TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is overwhelmingly in favor of SSD vs. hard drives if failures, replacements and data recovery are factored in.

This more recent study (Sept 12th 2013) in ComputerWorld confirms the above findings.

From the above article:

"For example, Samsung's 840 EVO SSD uses TLC memory, yet because of the sophistication of the controller chip and its software, it will outlast any other component of the laptop or desktop it's in, according to Chris Geiser, senior product manager of Samsung's Memory and Storage Division.

'If I'm writing 10GB a day to a 120GB SSD, it will last over 10 years,' Geiser said."