Samsung, Sun team for ultra-endurance SSD flash memory for server apps

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- 7/17/2008

Offering what they said is a five-fold increase in data write-and-erase cycles over standard single-level-cell (SLC) flash memory, Seoul, South Korea-based memory giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Santa Clara, Calif.-based software, systems, services, and microelectronics maker Sun Microsystems have collaborated on the development of an SLC NAND flash memory device for use in solid state drives that offers much higher endurance levels than any other flash memory device on the market today.

Samsung explained that its new server-grade SLC NAND memory, developed in close cooperation with Sun over the past several months, is meant to be used in SSDs to extend the life cycle of any high-transaction data processing server, and is expected to deliver the highest endurance ever offered in 24/7 mission-critical computing.

The companies said possible uses for the SLC flash include video streaming, high-transaction data processing, search engine operations and other high-speed server applications, as memory aims to allow a 100X increase over conventional hard drives, in the number of data transfers (input/output per second or I/OPS) per watt, registering a substantial power savings in a market sector where rising cooling bills are being watched with a great deal of concern.

Jim Elliott, VP of memory marketing at Samsung said the company has been working with Sun to develop this 8Gb server-grade SLC flash memory, which is meant to give IT managers the best in high-density, high-endurance memory design with markedly less energy consumption than seen today. “Endurance up, power down’ is going to be the mantra of IT innovators at enterprises everywhere, and server grade SLC flash is ideally situated to deliver on that equation,” Elliott added in a statement.

Sun said it sees incredible upside to using server grade SLC NAND flash to accelerate customer applications, and plans to incorporate this technology into its line of servers and storage. Michael Cornwell, lead technologist for flash memory at Sun added, “Flash SSDs of this quality and performance when included in our systems and Open Storage products with Solaris ZFS will revolutionize the hardware marketplace. We are excited to be working closely with Samsung to lead this game-changing technology revolution.”

Samsung noted that according to IDC, global demand for enterprise SSDs is expected to reach 2.24 million units in 2012.

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