The Key to Widespread SSD Adoption

I recently read an article from Chris Mellor at The Register on STEC’s CellCare announcement and came to the realization that Smart Storage Systems and STEC are the only SSD companies to make specific endurance claims, such as 14x or 13.3x to achieve 40k PE cycles or translated 10 random drive writes per day. We believe increasing the endurance of commercial MLC Flash is the only way SSDs will reach widespread enterprise adoption. In order to do this, Flash needs to be approached and managed as the imperfect media it is. We can achieve additional performance and endurance by managing the SSD at the system-level, rather than as individual components.

For years, there has been a need from OEMs for cost effective flash with extended endurance, and we are finally able to meet their needs. Storage vendors listening to the hum of the market are beginning to respond to this demand by offering claims of extended endurance. After working in the enterprise storage market long enough, though, you learn that major OEMs require hard numbers when it comes to product qualification.

Currently, SMART Storage Systems and STEC are the only SSD manufacturers to make specific claims when it comes to MLC endurance enhancement. With STEC’s May 15 announcement on CellCare technology, they can now sustain 10 full capacity writes a day for five years without performance degradation; however, STEC’s claim is the base level of endurance enhancement that vendors will need moving forward. Enterprise data centers will require far greater endurance in the future. We are focused on taking endurance to new heights, beginning with the introduction of Optimus Ultra SAS SSD in February, which achieves 25 random drive writes per day using our Guardian Technology Platform.

With companies, such as STEC and ourselves, finally offering MLC endurance enhancement, widespread SSD enterprise adoption is sure to take off. What do you think?

-          John Scaramuzzo, President of SMART Storage Systems