The age of information
Specialist storage and memory solutions distributor, Jactron says that as the aerospace sector moves into the digital age, obsolescence management of memory and storage becomes more important when designing and developing new systems
L
ooking at electronics systems specifically designed for use in the aerospace and defence sector, it is easy to see that the ability
to record vast amounts of data brings with it huge operational and competitive advantages to both the sub-system manufacturers and technology users on the front line. As the aerospace and defence sector continues to transition to the digital era the importance of selecting the correct storage technology has never been more prevalent. As specialist storage distributors, Jactron has helped support a wide variety of aerospace and defence applications since 1989, assisting manufacturers and prime contractors with solutions that can be found embedded within systems connected with C4ISR technologies, mission, flight, simulation, training and condition-based monitoring activities around the world.
Storage is generally perceived as an afterthought, especially in embedded design. However, within the aerospace industry it is quite different. Typically, the conversations Jactron has with system design engineers start from the outset and can take over two years until a sample is even requested. By then technology has moved on and in some cases the initial requirement has become obsolete.
Fit for purpose
Obsolescence in memory and storage is becoming increasingly more important when designing and developing systems - especially those that need to run for many years without fault. Jactron says it has been contacted countless times by design engineers asking for suitable storage that works, is robust and needs to perform in extended temperatures and demanding applications. Unfortunately some CEM, EMS and subcontractors are often driven by price, and will buy the best priced storage to keep margins up. It can sometimes be a case of ‘you get what you pay for’. Often what is used is not fit for purpose and is a COTS product. Specialist kit requires specialist storage. Why buy a top of the range stereo and speakers, only have to have cheap speaker cable?
In the late 1990s, long-standing customer, British Airways contacted Jactron regarding issues with its current PCMCIA ATA Flash cards. Quite simply, the build quality was poor. Jactron collaborated with Pretec to design a more robust version which included a rugged metal casing, fibreglass filling and better construction to stop it falling apart. The result was that once approved, the cards were put into the aircraft immediately and are still on sale today. Subsequently many other manufacturers followed suit as the growing demand for these robust cards increased. However, many manufacturers decided to stop using these cards and focus on newer technology instead. From over 50 manufacturers ten years ago to today, less than five companies still make enough cards to sustain demand. That figure will no doubt diminish, leading to serious obsolescence issues unless new technology or a suitable replacement is found. However, over the past four years, there has been a significant increase in demand for ATA Flash Cards with less than 1GB of capacity. These cards are typically used in avionics and flight data recorders and health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) for all types of fixed and rotary aircraft. These rugged metal-cased cards are extremely robust and have a wide operating temperature of -40°C to 80°C, but are legacy technology, so it will be a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’ these cards become obsolete. As we well know, testing and certification of
new products in the industry takes time. Potentially this could be catastrophic, and aircraft could be grounded until a viable solution is found. All the time an aircraft is not flying, it’s not earning.
A life of its own Jactron says it provides a complete service that covers potential obsolescence issues. For example, if a manufacturer issues an end of life (EOL) notification, typically 6-12 months in advance, Jactron will contact all its existing customers using this product via its ERP system. The company will then order enough stock to cover these customers for the remainder of the programme, or it can hold stock on a ‘call off’ basis. To Jactron’s knowledge, no other storage distributor in the UK offers this service. All of the products stocked by Jactron come with product change notification (PCN) and EOL notifications, and whether you have one or 1,000 units, the service is still the same. The EOL notifications is greatly appreciated and highly regarded from its customers. Some have avoided high redesign and rebuild costs as a result of a notification, a service which Jactron is immensely proud of in this sector.
6 CIE Aerospace/Military/Defence Supplement July/August 2016 However, working with the customer to
overcome potential obsolescence issues doesn’t stop there. Jactron can consult with them to find an alternative solution, either with a different product or manufacturer. Jactron claims its technical expertise and understanding of storage enables it to offer more than just a distribution service. Ideally, Jactron prefers to be engaged at the design stage of a project, as storage is often seen as an afterthought especially when a problem has been encountered. That way, it can advise on suitable storage saving time and money from the outset.
What’s in store? Manufacturers of storage are also upping their game. Nearly all manufacturers of Solid State Disks (SSDs) offer Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) monitoring as standard. SMART is a monitoring system built into the drive which records and reports on areas, such as reliability, real-time temperature display, wear levelling status, read/write performance, and predicated lifespan, to name but a few. The point of predicated lifespan is especially critical when running applications that write a lot of data to an SSD. Some manufacturers, including Innodisk, allow parameters to be set which enable an email to be sent, advising that the SSD is under- performing or its life span is nearing an end. There have been some very interesting developments in storage technology with the holy grail of ‘industrial grade’ SSD capacity of 1TB. That has been smashed out of the water by one company offering capacities of 8TB that is MIL_STD 810F/G compliant, supports military erase protocols, has 256-bit AES encryption, secure erase and is write protect supported. Coupled with additional features of ultra-robust metal casing, operational temperatures of -40°C to 85°C, constant write performance, on board capacitors (for sudden power loss) and has an incredible read/write performance of 1500/1500GBs. Early indications from test customers say the performance speeds are ‘blistering’ but it comes at a price. There is a plethora of different storage and form factors on the market today from over 300 manufacturers. Quality, price and service vary greatly and can be a minefield if you don’t know where to start. Jactron says that help and guidance is readily available, as this kind of technology requires expert technical advice to ensure correct fit, form and function.
www.jactron.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60