Making MLC SSD Enterprise Ready
MLC is able to write more data per flash cell than SLC flash technology. This means that the capacity of MLC is greater and drives down the cost of solid state storage. The downside though is that MLC is thought of as less reliable and will wear out faster than SLC Flash. Our next briefing was with STEC, a leading global provider of solid state storage systems and has introduced technology to bring data reliability to the affordability of MLC based SSD.
You may not have heard of STEC but chances are that the storage system you use probably uses it. STEC is one of the top suppliers of solid state disk systems to storage systems vendors that are looking to implement the technology in their own system. At SNW we sat down with STEC and discussed two technologies designed to make MLC technology ready for the enterprise; CellCare and SAFE (Secure Array of Flash Elements).
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
STEC’s CellCare technology reaches inside of the flash NAND to provide enhanced signal processing and data management techniques to extend the life of an MLC flash SSD. SAFE technology adds to this reliability extension by addressing the challenges of NAND flash. As the technology advances the wafers get smaller and they become more prone to errors. Flash controllers need to step in to correct these errors. SAFE is supposed to dramatically reduce the component level failures and errors that are introduced by the advancing technology.
How exactly CellCare and SAFE provide their life extending capabilities to an SSD is beyond the scope of a simple briefing note. We have to get into advanced signal processing and data management algorithms. The net impact for the user is that STEC is now warranting MLC based flash drives for 5 years. No longer do you have to be concerned about how many writes have been sent to an SSD drive. Simply use it for five years knowing that it is warranted.
George Crump, Senior Analyst
SNW Briefing Note
It is April and that means that Storage Switzerland is once again at Storage Networking World (SNW). This spring we find SNW in Santa Clara, California, the home of much of the storage industry. As a result this year we have a record setting number of briefing meetings as well as a speaking session on solid state storage specmenship.
STEC is not a client of Storage Switzerland
