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| news
about tiny SSDs - from
SSD History |
SandForce
joins LSI's new Flash Components Division
Editor:- January 4,
2012 - LSI
today
announced
it has completed the acquisition of SandForce.
Editor's
comments:- most of the leading companies in the earth shaking
PCIe SSD market use
large
architecture controllers or software - which provides cost and efficiency
advantages when you compare usable capacities with maximun fault protection
enabled.
That puts competitors who use small SSD architecture (such as
OCZ and
Seagate - who use
SandForce's controller
- and STEC which has yet
to establish a stronghold in this market with its own ASIC) at a potential
disadvantage as capacities scale up.
One of the design challenges for
LSI will be to see if they can extract the proven flash management features in
past SandForce controllers and scale them up to support bigger capacities and
faster throughput without adding latency penalties (which currently accrue with
arrays of SFPs) or which uses a new processor core or split controller
architecture to better support larger flash chip populations.
Viking ships nv 8GB DDR3 DIMM
Editor:- October 18,
2011 -
Viking Modular Solutions
said it is shipping
an
extension of their nv module range.
The
DDR3
ArxCis-NV plugs into standard
RAM sockets and provides
2GB to 8GB RAM which is backed up to SLC flash in the
event of a
power failure - while the memory power is held up by an optional external
25F supercap pack. Viking says these new memory modules can eliminate the need
for battery backup units in servers and the maintenance logistics associated
with maintaining them. They are specified as being maintenance free for "5
years @ 60C".
Editor's comments:- will these new modules
replace batteries in
RAM SSDs? - I doubt it
- because of scalability issues - like managing a spiderweb of 100+ dangly
bits of wire when you have a terabyte of RAM. Having said that - there are many
applications which only use a small number of memory chips which could benefit
from such a product.
Microsemi packs secure SATA 75GB SLC SSD into PBGA
Editor:-
September 29, 2011 -
Microsemi
announced it's
shipping secure rugged SATA SSD chips for embedded defense applications with
upto 75GB SLC capacity in a single 32mm x 28mm PBGA (plastic ball grid array).
Advanced security features include AES-128 encryption, self-destruct
capability and whole-module
erase with "push-button"
trigger option, which are essential for mission-critical defense and aerospace
applications, ruggedized mobile systems, surveillance, avionics, navigation and
ruggedized portable storage solutions.
"Our ability to miniaturize microelectronics systems has proven
to be a key advantage in defense applications where SWaP solutions are critical,"
said Jack
Bogdanski, director of marketing for Microsemi. "Offering a
complete solid state storage system in a compact module allows designers to add
more features to their systems, while supporting key security features that are
increasingly important to our defense and aerospace customers."
Editor's comments:- as with
their 2.5" SSDs -
Microsemi's new SSD chips
protect data
integrity from sudden power loss using a unique architecture which doesn't
involve batteries or supercaps. See also:-
tiny SSDs
RunCore samples new SSD chip for smart phones
Editor:-
September 12, 2011 - RunCore
is sampling a low power SATA SSD chip - in a BGA micro-chip package for
embedded apps like mobile phones and tablet PCs.
The rSSD T100 will be
available in industrial temperature versions - and includes SMART commands to
monitor the life expectancy of the product.
"MCP products will be
the next high market demand in the future, and we foresee that this growth will
increase exponentially " said , the RunCore's CEO Jack Wu.
Editor's
comments:- the 1st "disk on chip" products
came to market 17
years ago in 1994. In those days
flash controllers were
simpler. Wear-out
wasn't an issue because of the slow interfaces and high endurance (large
geometry) SLC. Today's tiny SSDs (listed in the
1" SSD
directory) - have all the same functions inside as regular
2.5" SSDs. Over 30
oems make them - for markets ranging from military systems to phones.
new Emphase SSDs suit small spaces and power budgets
Editor:-
June 22, 2011 - Emphase
announced a new
range of miniature industrial SATA SLC SSDs which have been engineered
to operate off as little as 0.5 watts max and fit into less than 4mm height.
Capacities
range from 1GB to 32GB. R/W speeds upto 120/100MB/s. All S3 Series SATA modules
come with a tightly managed BOM and a 5-year warranty, with the option for
conformal coating.
market makeover for industrial SSDs
Editor:- June
6, 2011 - StorageSearch.com
today published a new article about the changing face of the industrial SSD
market.
This is a slow changing market and it rarely makes the
SSD fashionista headlines
- but many facets in the industrial SSD world have changed in the past 5
years - and it's going to be a big market too. ...read the article
Web-Feet says embedded SSD revenue could reach $17 billion
Editor:-
March 29, 2011 -
Web-Feet Research
says they expect the embedded flash drive market to approach $17 billion
annual revenue in 2015.
Foremay ships 32GB PATA disk on chip
Editor:- March
25, 2011 - Foremay
today announced it is shipping 32GB
PATA versions of its
OC177
SSD Disk on Chip which measures 22 x 22 x 1.8 mm and has R/W speeds of 70
and 40MB/s respectively.
what happens in SSDs when power goes down? - and why you should
care
Editor:- February 24, 2011 - StorageSearch.com today published
a new article -
SSD power is
going down! - which surveys power down management design factors in
SSDs. This article will help you understand why some SSDs which work perfectly
well in one type of application might fail in others... even when the changes
in the operational environment appear to be negligible. ...read the
article
SanDisk promises 64GB miniature SSDs in Q3
Editor:-
February 14, 2011 - SanDisk
preannounced details of a new
miniature SSD which
will ship in Q3 2011 - the
iNAND
has upto 64GB (x3 MLC) capacity in a 12mm x 16mm x 1mm package.
"For
smartphones and tablets, every millimeter of thickness counts," said Amir
Lehr, VP, embedded business, SanDisk. "Designers are constantly looking for
new ways to make mobile devices as small and thin as possible. To meet that
need, SanDisk's advanced NAND process and packaging technologies allow us to
pack more storage into smaller and slimmer footprints. This in turn enables OEMs
to design more compact devices while freeing up precious board space for other
needs, such as larger batteries."
View from the SSD Viking Longboat
Editor:-
February 3, 2011 - I had a briefing recently in which I learned more about Viking's SSD business.
They're
in the embedded market - so most of you won't be familiar or interested in what
they do. But if you do move in those (physically restricted and confined)
circles you can read my article in
their profile page.
new edition - Top 20 SSD Companies
Editor:- January
12, 2011 - StorageSearch.com
today published the new edition of the
Top 20 SSD companies.
The
15th quarterly edition in this popular series is based on market data for the
4th quarter of 2010. Whether you're buying SSDs, selling them, trying to
understand what's happening in the SSD market, choosing a strategic SSD partner
or want to invest in an SSD company - this is the much anticipated short list
which you can't afford to ignore.
...read the article
Memoright's new 1.2" SSDs
Editor:- December 8,
2010 - Memoright
recently launched a new range of
1.2"
SATA SSDs with secure
erase, 8,000 IOPS, 100/80MB/s R/W performance and upto 64GB capacity.
Greenliant samples SATA BGA SSDs
Editor:- November 8,
2010 -Greenliant
Systems has
begun
sampling SATA
compatible variants of its
NANDrive
GLS85LS (miniature
SSDs).
The new SSDs have upto 64GB capacity in a 14mm x 24mm x
1.85mm 145 BGA. Active-mode power consumption as low as 500mW and a deep
power-down mode can reduce this to 10mW. The SSDs have content protection zones
and designers can select areas of the storage to protect with
fast erase.
"OEMs have recognized the benefits of Greenliant's NANDrive in providing
superior reliability,
and the addition of SATA-based NANDrive devices provides our customers with more
options to choose a compatible SSD that best suits their needs for various
market segments and applications," said Bing Yeh, CEO of Greenliant
Systems. "While we are currently sampling our new commercial-grade SATA
NANDrive products, an industrial-grade version is under development."
ATP launches slim SATA SSD module
Editor:- October
29, 2010 - ATP
Electronics launched a
vertical Slim SATA Embedded
SSD module with 2GB to 16GB capacity and sequential R/W speeds upto
116MB/s and 102MB/s respectively.
ATP's new SSD module has internal
wear-leveling and has drivers for Windows and Linux. Its small size (54mm
x39.8mm x4.0mm) makes it a viable replacement for
2.5" SSDs in
space constrained embedded applications.
Microsemi 's new 16GB PBGA PATA SLC SSD
Editor:-
August 27, 2010 - Microsemi
now offers a 16GB SLC NAND version of its
PBGA SSDs - which
are designed specifically for use in the rugged and demanding environments of
defense and aerospace
applications.
The surface-mountable
PATA SSD has an
integrated 32-bit RISC flash
controller which
manages wear
leveling, error
correction and power interruption protection.
Update on the smallest PATA SSD
Editor:- August 18,
2010 - Micross
Components indicated that a future version of its
microSSD
(the world's smallest PATA
SSD - which has a footprint of 14 x 24 x 1.3mm and weighs only 0.8 grams)
may be offered with extended operation upto 105 degrees C.
Viking samples slim SATA SSD
Editor:- August 16,
2010 - Viking Modular
Solutions is sampling its
Slim SATA SSD
- which provides upto 120GB capacity and 260MB/s R/W speeds in less than
half the size of a 2.5"
SSD.
the Top 10 SSD oems in the 2nd quarter of 2010
Editor:-
July 6, 2010 - StorageSearch.com
today published the 13th quarterly edition of the
Top 10 SSD OEMs -
with new commentaries and analysis - and a 1st time appearance in the top 10
list by OCZ.
Tracking the search volume of millions of SSD readers - the series is designed
to alert you to emerging market trends and simplify your process of
shortlisting potential partners and suppliers. ...read the article
Apacer samples MO-300 mSATA SSDs
Editor:- June 9,
2010 - Apacer
has
started
sampling its 1st SSDs which comply with JEDEC's spec
MO-300
for mSATA SSD - which is about 75% smaller than a typical
2.5" SSD.
Apacer's
miniature SATA Disk
Module II M1 SLC
SSD has R/W speeds upto 100MB/sec and capacities options from 4GB - 32GB -
whereas the MLC version R/W speeds are upto 95MB/s and 50MB/s and MLC
capacities are 2x greater. Both new SSD families include global wear
leveling, S.M.A.R.T technology,
8-bit/15-bit ECC
function and intelligent power failure recovery, and are processed compliant
with MIL-STD-810F.
TDK launches SLC half slim SSDs
Editor:- March 30,
2010 - TDK
launched the
SHG2A series of half slim, encrypted industrial
SATA SLC SSD modules.
The new SSDs have a maximum capacity of 32GB and R/W speeds of 95MB/s and
of 55MB/s respectively.
ECC is 8 bit/sector (512 byte) correction (15
bit/sector correction). Endurance is 100,000 write cycles per block address (6.3
billion writes for a 16GB model). TDK has a life span assessment tool which
enables customers to monitor the life span of these SSDs in their systems.
Viking's SATA Cube3 DOM MIL certified
Editor:- March
3, 2010 - Viking
Modular Solutions today
announced
that its SATA Cube3 128GB DOM
(launched in March
2009) has successfully completed tests pursuant to the
MIL-STD-810F
specification.
STEC samples slim SSDs with deep roots
Editor:-
March 2, 2010 -STEC
has started sampling a new family of
SlimSATA and SATA-CF
32GB/64GB flash SSDs for use in embedded markets.
Performance is
15,000 / 6,000 R/W
IOPS and R/W transfer rates are up to 135MB/s and 130MB/s respectively.
New Name for 20 Year Old Austin Semiconductor
Editor:-
February 4, 2010 - Austin
Semiconductor recently announced it plans to change its name and (along
with some other companies) it will be merged into a new entity and brand to be
called Micross Components.
WEDC Launches Secure PATA SSD in PBGA
Editor:-
January 18, 2010 - White
Electronic Designs has
introduced a
4GB secure PATA SLC
SSD in a 22mm x 27mm
PBGA for embedded military applications.
This product is designed for
applications in aircraft, communications and missiles. A hardware and software
triggered fast purge
can eliminate all data in less than 10 seconds and device options include
sanitization
compliant with various government agency specifications.
Fast Purge flash SSDs
Editor:- September 25, 2009 -
StorageSearch.com today
published a new directory of Fast Purge flash SSDs.
Although
many industrial SSD vendors are offering their products with extended "rugged"
operating environment capabilities - it's the availability of fast purge which
differentiates "true military" SSDs which can be deployed in
defense applications.
PhotoFast Tells More About its CFast SSDs
Editor:-
August 24, 2009 - PhotoFast
today
officially
announced details
of its "1 inch"
CFast compatible MLC SSDs which had been mentioned as a component in its RAID
product launched earlier this month.
Capacities are 8, 16 and 32GB. R/W
speeds are 100MB/s and 50MB/s respectively.
Samsung Samples Netbook SSD
Editor:- June 23, 2009 -
Samsung is
sampling a SATA mini-card SSD for use in the expanding
netbook
marketplace with these key parameters:-
- footprint:- 30mm by 51mm by 3.75mm
- weight:- 8.5g
- capacity options:- 16GB, 32GB and 64GB
- R/W speeds:- 200MB/s and 100MB/s respectively
- power:- 0.3W
"The market is beginning to embrace a
smaller SSD for the
nascent netbook sector," said Jim Elliott, vp, memory marketing, Samsung
Semiconductor.
SanDisk Ships New DOM for Netbooks
Editor:- June 2,
2009 - SanDisk
started shipping its 2nd generation of PATA compatible
SSD
modules for the netbook market.
Performance of SanDisk's new
pSSD is 9,000 vRPM and capacities range from 8 to 64GB. SanDisk says it has
improved the non volatile cache to prevent "stalling" or "shuddering"
which was a problem in 1st generation netbook SSDs.
WEDC Launches Rugged Miniature SSD
Editor:- May
26, 2009 - today White
Electronic Designs introduced a surface mount miniature
PATA SLC SSD (22mm x
27mm PBGA) with 1, 2 and 4GB densities for use in high reliability
embedded applications such as aircraft, communications and missiles. Military & Rugged
Storage
new home page for - SSD SoCs
Editor:- April 7, 2009 -
StorageSearch.com today
launched a new directory of merchant market
SSD SoC vendors.
Hagiwara Unveils CFast Storage Card
Editor:- March
26, 2009 - Hagiwara
Sys-Com has extended its range of
1" SSDs - with
the launch of the
CFast Storage
Card which will ship in Q2.
These industrial grade SSDs are form
factor compatible with CF cards, but have a
SATA interface.
Capacities range from 2GB to 16GB. See also:-
CFast -
Evolution of the CompactFlash Interface (pdf) |
|
| Viking
Launches SATA Cube SSD............................................. |
|
|
Editor:- March 10,
2009 - Viking Modular
Solutions has launched the
SATA Cube
- a miniature flash SSD
which provides upto 256GB capacity in a small 30x32mm footprint.
Sustained
R/W speeds are 110MB/s and 79MB/s respectively. It's available as a BGA device
or with a MicroSATA connector. | |
|
Seagate Still
Waiting for Legal Costs Related to Cornice Litigation
Editor:-
February 18, 2009 - a report today on Law.com says Seagate is
suing its legal insurer for not paying in full the costs incurred in suing Cornice.
SiliconDrive Blade Gets Editor Award in Electronic Design Magazine
Editor:- January 13, 2009 - SiliconSystems
announced that its SiliconDrive
Blade has been selected as a "2008 Best
Electronic Design" technology of the year winner in the embedded small
form factor category.
Petite SSD Chip Seeks Reliable Rugged Assignments
Austin,
Texas - November 5 , 2008 - Austin Semiconductor, Inc. announces a
smaller, more compact 7.5 cm3 (31mm sq x 7.8mm max height) ruggedized SSD.
The SLC flash SSD offers upto 16GB capacity, has an IDE, PIO/4
interface, and MTBF of more than 2 million hours. and is designed for harsh
environment operation.
...Austin
Semiconductor profile
InnoDisk Announces Smallest SATA SSD
Taiwan - June 2,
2008 - InnoDisk announced the world's physically smallest SATA SSD - the
SATADOM - measuring 39mm by 20.5mm by 8mm.
Capacity ranges
from 128MB to 8GB. The SLC flash SSD has a sustainable read speed of 24MB/sec
and write speed of 14MB/sec. ...InnoDisk profile
STEC Announces Fast 1" SSD
SANTA
ANA, Calif - April 21, 2008 - STEC, Inc. announced the MACH4 - a 1"
SATA / PATA SSD.
For a small drive - the MACH4 is fast:- with
sustained sequential reads upto 90MB/s and writes upto 55MB/s. It's expected to
be in mass production at the end of April in capacities up to 32GB. Projected
OEM pricing for the 8GB capacity point is $45.
"For the numerous
applications which were historically challenged by the severe limitations of 1
inch HDDs, STEC is now offering a much more cost-effective, higher capacity and
higher reliability alternative..." said STEC's Patrick Wilkison.
...STEC profile
March 2008
Trident Space & Defense
launched the BGADrive - an IDE compatible 32GB flash SSD in a 29mm x 29mm form
factor module for embedded applications. |
| all
SSD news /
30 years of
SSD market history | |
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""He's
probably just as scared of us"
said Megabyte, not very convincingly.
"Shut
up! And keep peddling" said his niece. | |
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| . |
| storage drives 1.0"
and smaller modules / chips oems |
Afaya
Aitech Defense Systems
AMP
Apacer
ATP Electronics
Austin Semiconductor
Cactus Technologies
CoreSolidStorage
EDGE Tech
Emphase
Foremay
Fortasa Memory Systems
Greenliant Systems
Hagiwara Sys-Com
InnoDisk
Intel
KingSpec
MagicRAM
MemoCom
Memoright
Microsemi
Netlist
Phison Electronics
PhotoFast
Pretec Electronics
RunCore
SanDisk
Seagate
Silicon Storage Technology
SMART Modular
Technologies
Spansion
STEC
TDK
Toshiba
Transcend Information
Trident Space & Defense
Viking Modular Solutions
Virtium Technology
WD Solid State Storage
White Electronic Designs
Wintec |
| . |
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| . |
| SSDs - the big picture |
| Editor:-
StorageSearch.com was the
world's 1st publication to provide continuous editorial coverage and analysis
of SSDs (in 1998) and in the years which have followed we've led the market
through many interesting and confusing times. |
 |
If you often find yourself
explaining to your VC,
lawyer or non technical BBQ guests why you spend so much time immersed in SSD
web pages - and need a single, simple, not very technical reference to
suggest - this may be the link they need. | | | |
| . |
7 Years Ago - flashback from
storage history
Toshiba
Introduces World's Smallest Hard Drive
January
7, 2004 - Toshiba
today announced the development of a 0.85-inch hard disk drive, the first drive
to deliver multi-gigabyte storage in a
sub-one-inch form factor.
Expected to be available in 2GB and 4GB capacities, Toshiba will start sampling
the new drive in summer 2004, with mass production to begin in late 2004
Measuring only a quarter of the size of Toshiba's 1.8-inch drive, the 0.85-inch
HDD is expected to boost the functionality of a new generation of products,
including mobile phones, digital audio players, PDAs, digital still cameras,
camcorders and external storage devices.
Toshiba initially plans to
introduce capacities of 2GB and 4GB, and anticipates achievement of even higher
densities in the 0.85-inch form factor.
A prototype of the 0.85-inch
HDD will be shown at Toshiba's booth (#12214) on the CES show floor January
8-11.
...Toshiba profile
...Later:-
in January 2011 - over 30 manufacturers now market
drives in 1" and
smaller form factors - although for economic reasons these are mostly SSDs.
The history of this market is described in
Introducing the
Miniature Storage Drive Market for 1" and smaller SSDs | | |
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