USB drive on server?

[Phil Meyer]

We use Compact Flash cards on lightly used production servers.

After 2.5 years in the field, we have yet to see a driver error, let 
alone fail.

These systems typically do 10-30 transactions a day to a postgres 
database.  Like I said, light use.

USB Flash drives and CF and SD and etc. all use similar technologies and 
controllers based upon the size of the drive, or the manufacture date.  
It is a market segment that changes weekly, with values headed to 32GB 
and 64GB in the very near future.

My advice:

Continue your excellent research, and then try the best you can find.  
Purchase two, and install them both, and then put one away in a safe place.

Good luck!