VersaLogic Selects SiliconSystems SSD Blade

SiliconSystems, Inc. and VersaLogic Corp., supplier of embedded computers, announced that SiliconSystems’ SiliconDrive Blade has been selected as the storage system for VersaLogic’s new Komodo EPIC-sized, SUMIT-enabled single board computer (SBC). The new Komodo product family will use SiliconSystems’ SiliconDrive Blade, a rugged postage-stamp size removable solid-state drive (SSD) that provides the scalability to support a wide array of storage interfaces such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), Serial ATA (SATA), Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC) as well as a variety of other I/O and communications protocols.  SiliconSystems’ SiliconDrive Blade and Samtec’s SiliconBlade Socket have jointly been adopted as the MiniBlade standard by the Small Form Factor Special Interest Group (SFF-SIG).

The VersaLogic Komodo is based on the industry standard EPIC platform, with a footprint of 4.5 x 6.5 inches. It includes both the new Stackable Unified Module Interconnect Technology (SUMIT) interface developed by the Small Form Factor Special Interest Group (SFF-SIG), and an ISA interface for expansion with legacy PC/104 modules. SiliconDrive Blade provides the superior high performance, high reliability and multi-year product lifecycle storage requirements VersaLogic designers set for the new Komodo SBC.  Komodo is targeted for applications where reductions in footprint size are coupled with increases in performance, and is an optimal choice for OEMs in the military, aerospace and medical equipment manufacturing markets.  The Komodo is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2009.

“Qualifying SiliconSystems’ SiliconDrive Blade SSDs for VersaLogic’s new Komodo SBC complements the company’s objective to adopt new, high performance, high reliability technologies and embrace new standards,“ said Gary Harris, vice president of engineering at VersaLogic.  “Adding a highly robust small form-factor solid-state storage solution to our Komodo design meets growing OEM customer demand for embedded computing that supports their enhanced shock and vibration requirements.”

“We are pleased that VersaLogic realized the value of our SiliconDrive Blade SSDs in matching the high performance, high reliability and flexibility requirements of their Komodo SBC design,” said Gary Drossel, vice president of product planning at SiliconSystems. “VersaLogic’s OEM customers will benefit from a smaller, scalable and more rugged storage form factor solution than was currently available from consumer-grade USB thumb drives or SD and MMC cards.”