MLC NAND flashing memory marches into enterprise's solid condition and stores the field
Up till now, people have still generally thought only SLC have characteristic and reliability that can meet enterprise's demand, and MLC NAND flashing memory is suitable for consuming the apparatus.
However, Fusion-io plans to put out one kind and known as SMLC (single mode level cell) New for enterprise layer NADN flashing memory,can offer to user but direct insert server, store fast as cost getting lower PCIe solid condition hard disk. Most main storage array manufacturers offer the solid condition STEC of a hard disk to put out one and known as suiting enterprise's applied MLC sample too at present, have offered the capacity up to 800GB to OEM cooperative partner.
The present question is, enterprise's organization hopes how many characteristics are obtained from lower priced solid condition hard disk.
The organization Gartner of market survey studies a director Joseph Unsworth to represent: "It uses MLC chip to reduce preferably method to come down of the cost of the solid condition hard disk of the enterprise layer, its cost is 1/3- 1/2 of SLC. Need to remind quality of it need, can use continuously in the intersection of enterprise layer and the intersection of solid condition and the intersection of hard disk and environment while being kind enough. "
SLC is still higher, more more reliable than MLC writing speed
MLC with lower cost can keep two or three bit in one cell, and its capacity is twice of SLC at least. But because the writing speed is lower and the bit error rate is higher, MLC lacks characteristic and reliability that SLC possesses.
The commonly used in trade loss data SLC are 100000 program/erase, MLC flashing memory is 10000. Have trade report to reveal until flashing memory mention more and more light, data this of MLC reduce to already 10000 following.
Some shortcomings that 160GB and 320GB SMLC ioDrive that Fusion-io planned to be put out in this machine have overcome MLC. This SMLC products have used MLC flashing memory chip, but Fusion-io shows, the writing speed that the more delicate control card offers that it adopts is equivalent to SLC, and serviceability exceeds MLC greatly.
Fusion-io cheif technology officer David Flynn shows, though MLC driver of Fusion-io can be used in enterprises, the latest SMLC driver will offer the third kind of choice besides MLC and SLC to user.
Flynn shows: "Users say, I need the multiple capacity, characteristic and serviceability in this way, but they are unwilling to pay more money for this. At present, they face a difficult choice. Will you buy more expensive SLC on condition that only need very little capacity and only obtain required serviceability? Alternatively, you will buy MLC of bigger capacity to obtain sufficient serviceability - -Though the multiple capacity in this way that you do not need? "
In some respects, Fusion-io treats MLC as treating SLC. SMLC products have adopted the single thread instead of multithread, by promoting serviceability and characteristic level. Fusion-io products marketing senior vice-president Lance Smith points out, SMLC products map the data of a word bit to a word bit of every unit, and MLC maps the data of a plurality of word bit to a unit.
Smith shows: "We have obtained 5 times of serviceability of promotion from MLC. "
Fusion-io SMLC lower writing speed is comparable to their MLC technology. STEC was represented, their OEM users have already represented the interest in SLC/MLC mixed mode, under this kind of mode, a driver may include SLC used for load use, includes in order to keep machine format MLC too.
OEM users of STEC include Dell, EMC, Hewlett-Packard, HDS, IBM, NetApp and Sun. MLC of STEC supports SATA, SAS and optic fibre channel interface the same as SLC. Though STEC has already released MLC products directed against enterprise's users now, the high tube of this company shows, had very great characteristic disparity all the time between MLC and SLC.
Stetzer shows: "Especially people's interest runs high gradually recently. MLC will continue increasing in quantity. Foreseeable future, SLC will continue occupying an leading position. "
Find a position in enterprises for MLC
There is test to that their MLC apparatus starts enterprise's application of user of a Fusion-io at present. The online retailer Wine.com tests 160GB SLC ioDrives of Fusion-io in their ERP database, and tested the intensive trade retailed the application of card in the hard disk of the solid condition was stored last autumn. Wine.com cheif technology officer Geoffrey Smalling represents, their database is too big for SLC products of Fusion-io, so they try to use MLC products of 320GB.
Smalling says frankly, he is very anxious after reading the blog article regarding MLC 10000 load erasing, or serviceability and cycles limit the respect. But he show until Flynn give him explain the intersection of loss and balanced algorithm, the intersection of chip level and getting redundant, error correction and system of them check, he has breathed a sigh of relief greatly.
Smalling shows, it was to hear there is 4GB primitive capacity, in addition there is 80GB idle capacity that can be substituted when the storage block losses in each PCIe card that he had the deepest impression. Fusion-io has also developed a function known as similar RAID of Flashback Redundancy, allow the flashing memory chip to spare in cases the serious chip trouble takes place, prevent losing machine formatly.
If Wine.com hopes to look over the loss state of MLC ioDrives, they can rely on ioManager tool of Fusion-io. Smalling shows, 8 months later, more than 99% of MLC driver capacity of tabular display is still in the user mode.
Though Smalling knows the reading of MLC compares with writing speed SLC is slow, but he thinks 80000 IOPS characteristic that this kind of MLC offers is really " as far apart as heaven and earth " compared with NetApp SAN technology that adopts before them . Have advantage not including the one expectation in addition, they can based on PCIe the intersection of MLC ioDrives and in the server direct connecting to HP ProLiant DL380 G5, because no matter the trusteeship of Wine.com or them is offered the commercial city there is a very abundant SAN professional experience.
Smalling shows: "To me, SLC-MLC is not a question needing worrying about, the question is mostly that the trade is redundant. We dispose RAID on the server, carry on the mirror image to the server. " He still represented, the expectation life cycle in 5 of MLC product exceeded the change cycle of the server of 3 years that he expects.
MLC is a kind of choice, but not the replacement of SLC
Unsworth of Gartner shows, though MLC is applied to some fields, he does not think MLC will replace SLC over the next five years. Enterprise Strategy Group analyst Mark Peters shows, he estimates MLC remains a choice, but not the replacement of the enterprise layer SLC solid condition hard disk.