PMC Delivers 12Gb SAS Flash Manager With SSD Controller

PMC-Sierra, Inc. announced its 12Gb/s SAS flash manager (SFM-12G) for the next wave of enterprise solid state drives (SSDs). With this introduction, PMC has delivered the industry’s first end-to-end 12Gb/s SAS solution, from the protocol controller to the SSD controller.

                                  End-to-end 12Gb/s SAS solution

SFM-12G enables more than 300,000 IOPS in a 2.5" SAS SSD, more than double the performance of today’s 6Gb/s SAS SSDs. When paired with the performing protocol controller, PMC’s SPCv 12G, cloud server and big data storage manufacturers can deliver 2.4 million IOPS in an eight-drive, enterprise flash subsystem.

"Flash enables a 100x improvement in storage performance, and 12Gb/s SAS is key to unlocking the potential of this disruptive technology," said Derek Dicker, VP of marketing for PMC’s Enterprise Storage Division. "PMC’s 12Gb/s SAS flash manager provides the performance to unleash the real power of flash, with the added cost benefit of using MLC NAND in enterprise-class SSDs."

The SFM-12G combines PMC’s 12Gb/s SAS technology with low latency and maxLIFE adaptive error correction, enabling storage equipment and drive manufacturers to deliver enterprise SSDs. Historically, SSD controllers had to trade off latency, a key benefit of NAND, against life expectancy, a requirement for enterprise systems. maxLIFE technology solves this dilemma by extending the usable life of SSDs and maintaining the lowest error-correction latency over the life of the drive. This new technology allows OEMs to take advantage of the substantial economic benefits of MLC flash without compromising enterprise durability.

"Solid State storage is a disruptive technology that has already begun to transform the enterprise, and this is opening up opportunities for companies like PMC," said Jeff Janukowicz, research director for Solid State Storage at IDC. "Advanced controller technology, such as PMC’s PM8304 SFM-12G, that provides the endurance, reliability and performance required by OEMs, is well positioned to capitalize on the more than 90% compound annual growth rate from 2011 to 2016 of SAS SSDs that IDC expects."

12Gb/s SAS Flash Manager
PM8304 SFM-12G was designed for the same enterprise requirements as other storage products, including end-to-end overlapping data protection within the device. It incorporates two 12Gb ports and is optimized for complex 24/7 read-and-write-intensive environments. It integrates features including wear leveling, garbage collection, flash scrubbing, power-loss data protection, and advanced error handling and statistics.

SFM-12G is sampling later this quarter.