FFS!

Flash storage specialist SanDisk has come out with a file management system for its SSDs (solid state drives), which it claims: "...yields dramatic improvement in performance and reliability for computing applications."

The new technology is called ExtremeFFS (I thought FFS stood for something else - Ed) and SanDisk reckons it: "...has the potential to accelerate random write speeds by up to 100 times over existing systems." It will make an appearance in SanDisk products next year.

Additionally, SanDisk reckons its time to change how we measure the performance of SSDs. The senior VP and GM of SanDisk's SSD unit, Rich Heye, reckons end-users need more help with comparing the performance of SSDs against HDDs (hard disk drives) and with calculating the lifespan of an SSD.

Consequently Heye proposes vRPM (virtual revs per minute) and  LDE (long-term data endurance) as new metrics. "SSDs will revolutionise client storage, but we need new benchmarks that allow them to be treated differently than HDDs," he said.

Here's what SanDisk has to say about ExtremeFFS:

To maximize random write performance, SanDisk developed the ExtremeFFS flash file management system. This operates on a page-based algorithm, which means there is no fixed coupling between physical and logical location. When a sector of data is written, the SSD puts it where it is most convenient and efficient. The result is an improvement in random write performance - by up to 100 times - as well as in overall endurance.

ExtremeFFS incorporates a fully non-blocking architecture in which all of the NAND channels can behave independently, with some reading while others are writing and garbage collecting. Another key element of ExtremeFFS is usage-based content localization, which allows the advanced flash management system to "learn" user patterns and over time localize data to maximize the product's performance and endurance.  "This feature might not show up in benchmarks, but we believe it is the right thing to do for end-users," Heye said.    

There's more on the subject here. Additionally Microsoft has said it's going to optimise Windows 7 for SSDs, something that isn't the case with Vista.

Does this look like a critical evolution in SSD technology to you? Do you think we need these new meterics? Let us know in the HEXUS.community.

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