Everspin ST-MRAM Incorporated for Cache

Everspin Technologies, Inc. announced that Buffalo Memory is introducing a new industrial SATA III SSD that incorporates Everspin’s Spin-Torque MRAM (ST-MRAM) as cache memory.

In addition to breaking new ground as a SATA III SSD, this product is also the first to specify ST-MRAM for its cache.

Buffalo Memory showcased the new product at the Embedded Technology 2013 conference held in Yokohama, Japan on November 20-22.

Buffalo’s SS6 series SATA III SSD with Everspin ST-MRAM cache improves tolerance for sudden power loss and reduces power consumption. SATA III runs up to 6Gb/s, twice the rate of SATA II, which improves QoS in high data rate applications.

SS6 series SATA III SSD with ST-MRAM cache improves:

• Tolerance for sudden power off
• Access time (saving some process steps which volatile memories need)
• Power consumption (MRAM doesn’t require cell refresh like DRAM)

“In the area of embedded flash storage, we Buffalo Memory, have an advantage in firmware development that provides additional value for customers like tolerance for sudden power off using backup battery and DRAM as a cache memory,” said Shuichiro Azuma, GM, R&D division, Buffalo Memory. “We introduce our brand new platform of SATA III SSD, and we have started to develop the SSD with MRAM cache using this platform. We believe that it realizes the best industrial SSD for customers and we have pursued this innovation aggressively.”

The new SSD is designed with 64Mb DDR3 ST-MRAM that performs as a persistent cache, with DDR3 speed and non-volatility.

Using ST-MRAM instead of traditional DRAM has eliminated the need for a backup battery or super capacitor to power the DRAM in the event of a power failure. An ST-MRAM cache is inherently non-volatile, so it retains cached data during a power failure, and it does not require the drive to flush the cached contents to NAND flash during a power loss.

“As an early adopter of ST-MRAM, Buffalo Memory is taking a bold step to continue as an innovator in the SSD market,” said Phill LoPresti, president and CEO, Everspin. “Spin-Torque MRAM technology will give Buffalo Memory a strong differentiator in the market for high-performance industrial SSDs.”

The Everspin EMD3D064M 64Mb ST-MRAM is functionally compatible with the industry standard JEDEC specification for the DDR3 interface, providing designers the ability to quickly adopt ST-MRAM in storage and embedded systems.