A spec sheet that says "AES-256" tells you which cipher a drive can use. It doesn't tell you who holds the keys, whether locking is actually switched on, or whether your OS can drive it.

Before relying on self-encrypting SSDs in a fleet, split the claim into three checks:

Does the controller encrypt data at all? Look for documentation of the exact model, not the product family page.

What controls access? A TCG Opal reference suggests standard security management, but it is not a certification and doesn't prove encryption is active.

Can your stack activate it?…