systems and techniques relating to storage technologies include , according to an aspect , a data processing apparatus including : a processor ; a controller coupled with the processor ; a solid state drive coupled with the controller ; and a mass storage drive coupled with the controller ; wherein at least a portion of the solid state drive and the mass storage drive are virtualized as a single physical storage drive ; wherein multiple applications stored in the virtualized single physical storage drive are configured to run on the processor ; wherein one or more applications in a hot application group are stored in the solid state drive , and one or more applications in a cold application group are stored in the mass storage drive ; and wherein each of the multiple applications is actively monitored and placed in either the hot application group or the cold application group .