New Intel SSD roadmap

[Anvil]

There is a lot going on for Intel

Link to Engadget

Basically there are a few new series that will be available this year

710 MLC-HET
720 PCIe-SLC
520 MLC
20GB Larsen Creek SLC?

intel_roadmap.JPG
larsen_creek.JPG

Will read up on this later...

[labs23]

I was a bit surprised at this, it seems Intel ain't that serious on the SSD market -before I saw this^.
Q4-ish 11 yes, but atleast they're coming... XD

[zalbard]

SLC is back!
And what the hell is MLC-HET? And why is it on SATA 3Gb/s while still being a part of 700 series?

[emoners]

questions is, will prices per gigabit be affordable?

[Ao1]

Nice find

Looking at the ONFi 3 specs it seems that things will change a lot. AFAIK all the new gen drives are still at ONFi 2.

[Ao1]

SLC is back!
And what the hell is MLC-HET? And why is it on SATA 3Gb/s while still being a part of 700 series?

Maybe it's a reference to TLC?

http://www.pcper.com/news/Storage/Ne...hing-TLC-flash

[zalbard]

I don't think so, TLC looks like a cost saving solution, not a performance one... But maybe you're right! Guess we'll see.
Maybe HET = High Endurance Tech? That would make sense... Enterprise solution.

[Metroid]

HET = prefix hetero, heterostructure, heterogeneous and heterojunction, mainly hetero as the base process. No wonder will be SATA 3Gb/s.

[Khoral]

TLC like Tables Ladders and Chairs ?

And maybe HET means Hyper Enhanced Threading. Well it's Intel you know...

[Metroid]

And maybe HET means Hyper Enhanced Threading. Well it's Intel you know...

No. It's not, names like that have never been a part of a process base. This is a Multi Cell Layer Hetero Structure. If it was outside the box then may be it had a possibility hehe.

[felix_w]

Really happy to see small capacity SLC-based ssd's in the roadmap...even if they are 3Gb/s

[Anvil]

I guess the 520 series info will probably add fuel to the fire wrt Intel using the SF controller
(based on the capacities listed)

I expect HET is somehow related to Enterprise grade NAND.

[Brahmzy]

Was kinda hopin' the 6G 520 would have a brand new BALLS-OUT intel controller laying the smackdown on everything. Oh well...

[lowfat]

That SLC PCEe SSD is going to expensive.

[Computurd]

hhmmm will be interesting i wonder if intel is going to have some of their own *new* controllers on these drives?

[zalbard]

That SLC PCEe SSD is going to expensive.

And the funniest thing is, ioXtreme is likely to still end up being faster... Or cheaper, at this rate.
Should be exiting, though!

OT: is Fusion-io coming up with anything new? They've been pretty quiet for a while. Then again, I cannot access News section, so...

[johnw]

I guess the 520 series info will probably add fuel to the fire wrt Intel using the SF controller
(based on the capacities listed)

I expect HET is somehow related to Enterprise grade NAND.

I don't see any reason to expect the 520 to use a Sandforce controller. It just looks like a 25nm flash update, plus additional capacity models, to the 510 which uses 34nm flash.

I think you are right about HET. It is probably another name for eMLC (enterprise MLC flash).

[johnw]

Basically there are a few new series that will be available this year

710 SLC
720 PCIe
520 MLC
20GB Larsen Creek SLC?

You have a typo there. The 710 uses "MLC-HET".

[Computurd]

OT: is Fusion-io coming up with anything new?

until they can get it to boot, i dont see any reason to. the stuff they have out now is the fastest out there, but without boot-ability. really is too bad too.

[Anvil]

@johnw

I noticed the typo, have fixed it.

I'm hoping Intel are making their own SSD controller but I can't see any signs of such a thing in the making, none of the other drives looks to have such a controller.
So, when those capacities are listed and they more or less fit perfectly with the typical capacities used on SF bases drives it will lead to speculations, don't read more into it

As for the fusion-IO stuff, the money is on Enterprise, not on "enthusiasts", at least for now.

[Ao1]

http://www.intel.com/standards/nvmhci/


The interface has the following key attributes:

• Does not require uncacheable / MMIO register reads in the command issue or completion path.
• A maximum of one MMIO register write is necessary in the command issue path.
• Support for up to 64K I/O queues, with each I/O queue supporting up to 64K commands.
• Priority associated with each I/O queue with well defined arbitration mechanism.
• All information to complete a 4KB read request is included in the 64B command itself, ensuring
efficient small random I/O operation.
• Efficient and streamlined command set.
• Support for MSI/MSI-X and interrupt aggregation.
• Support for multiple namespaces.
• Efficient support for I/O virtualization architectures like SR-IOV.
• Robust error reporting and management capabilities.

The specification defines a streamlined set of registers whose functionality includes:
• Indication of controller capabilities
• Status for device failures (command status is processed via CQ directly)
• Admin Queue configuration (I/O Queue configuration processed via Admin commands)
• Doorbell registers for scalable number of Submission and Completion Queues


The goal is to help enable the broad adoption of SSDs using the PCIe interface. The NVM Express specification was developed by the NVMHCI Work Group, which includes more than 70 industry leading member companies. Core contributors include Cadence, Cisco, Dell, EMC, Fujitsu Technology Solutions, IDT, Intel, Marvell, Micron, Microsoft, Nvelo, Oracle, Pliant, PLX, Samsung, SanDisk, SandForce, STEC and Violin Memory.

''The NVM Express specification offers numerous benefits as a standard interface through the interoperability it fosters,'' according to the group. ''For example, each OS vendor may confidently write a driver that works for devices from multiple vendors. OEMs may procure devices from diverse suppliers that all implement a consistent feature set. Time to market may be reduced as validation times shrink with standard drivers and OEMs leverage the same test suites across devices.''

A standard Linux driver for NVM Express is already available. NVELO is developing a standard NVM Express driver for Microsoft Windows OS, with an alpha release scheduled for Q3 2011.

http://www.eetasia.com/ART_880063657...T_9fa6e66f.HTM

[johnw]

I'm hoping Intel are making their own SSD controller but I can't see any signs of such a thing in the making, none of the other drives looks to have such a controller.
So, when those capacities are listed and they more or less fit perfectly with the typical capacities used on SF bases drives it will lead to speculations, don't read more into it

64GB is not a standard Sandforce capacity. It is a common Marvell capacity.

I did not suggest that the 520 would use an Intel controller. I was assuming that it would use a similar Marvell controller to the one in the 510. But that is just a guess, since the 520 seemed to be a replacement or update to the 510, judging from the chart. The other capacities, 480, 240, and 120GB seem to have more reserved flash than other Marvell controller SSDs. But then the 64GB capacity looks out of place among those others.

[lowfat]

until they can get it to boot, i dont see any reason to. the stuff they have out now is the fastest out there, but without boot-ability. really is too bad too.

Honestly I don't care about being bootable. I would love to see them release something new though.

[One_Hertz]

Honestly I don't care about being bootable. I would love to see them release something new though.

+1. I wouldn't put windows on my iodrive even if I could. Too much space for too little.

[NapalmV5]

720 pcie slc well now that got me interested/my blood going

i dont care how much $ as long as its an intel controller

it better be intel controlled and not marvell