Combined DDR and NAND Flash SATA Module Introduced by Virtium

Virtium Technology Inc., manufacturer of memory and storage products for specialized computers in demanding environments, announced the addition of SSDDR SODIMM to its family of memory and storage product lines.

SSDDR is the first innovative memory and SSD board design that combines Serial ATA Solid State Drive (SATA SSD) and Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Ram (DDR SDRAM) technologies in a single SODIMM socket for Single Board Computers (SBCs), ETX, COM Express and ATCA applications.

This SSDDR product solves the storage design challenge facing many SBC designers in search of SATA SSD (Serial ATA Solid State Storage) module solutions for industrial embedded SSD applications; these SATA SSD modules for embedded applications are not yet available in any module form factors. However, SSDDR serves two independent functions — the NAND Flash module provides localized SATA SSD storage for the operating system (OS) and DDR SDRAM provides the main memory for the CPU. Virtium’s SSDDR solution can be easily adapted and implemented as both the storage and memory functions share the existing JEDEC standard socket. Basically, the SSDDR module and Standard DDR module are interchangeable within the same SODIMM socket.

With the SATA interface as the point-to-point architecture between onboard storage devices and the controller, this SATA storage module enables faster boot-up time, quicker access time and increased data throughput. With this SSDDR SODIMM solution, data throughput dramatically increases two to four times over other embedded SSD and interfaces such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), CF (Compact Flash with IDE interface), and SD (Secure Digital). SSDDR SODIMM is the higher performance SATA disk on module for embedded applications.

Beyond the need for greater functionality in the industry-accepted SODIMM form factor and SATA speed performance, SSDDR SODIMM is the more reliable embedded SSD. SSDDR SODIMM can operate two times more reliably at a high temperature range in the field where CF, SD, and other packaged SSD have shown lower Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF).

"Our customers have been anticipating the release of Virtium’s SSDDR solution as a great return on investment as well as the immediate benefits in terms of functionality, performance, compatibility, and long term support for their needs," stated by John Park, vice president of sales & marketing at Virtium. "SSDDR SODIMM is a long-term, sustainable solution due to the fact that the module conforms to accepted standards and Life Cycle Management that can be applied with a high degree of predictability with both the SSD storage and the memory on Virtium’s module. Overall, system architects have the ultimate flexibility in their designs with SSDDR SODIMM because they can use its dual functionality or go back to the single function DDR SODIMM as the main memory on board."

The SSDDR SODIMM module is now available for engineering evaluation.