FEATURE INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS
New FerriSSD boosts server performance in a BGA-SSD
Silicon Motion explains how its FerriSSD boosts industrial server performance O
ver the past few years, an increasing number of solid-state
storage drives (SSDs) have appeared in consumer devices. Not surprisingly, servers are now utilising SSD’s superior performance to keep pace with the dramatic increase in data traffic – a task that traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) cannot accomplish. SSDs are adopted in Servers for boot drives, for they are far superior to HDD as boot drives for a multiplicity of reasons. First, SSDs are faster - where HDDs may require minutes to boot up a server, an SSD can fire up a server in seconds. This dramatic improvement is because
SSDs are powered by fast NAND flash technology instead of rotating media found in HDDs. As a result, SSDs triumph over HDDs in performing random read/write operations and delivering blazing fast performance – especially in retrieving the small files read during the boot sequence. Second, since SSDs have no moving parts (unlike HDDs), they can withstand environments with higher ambient temperatures and more vibrations, and therefore are much more robust in terms of reliability. In a server, the boot drive's
performance is paramount - with a faster boot SSD, the overall server system performance can be significantly enhanced. For example, when the server DRAM is full, the OS must shift some “secondary” data to the boot SSD to make room for the new data request. This “swapping” process creates a virtual memory mapping, as it allows the server to run in a limited DRAM memory space. Contrast this with a traditionally slow HDD, which suffers from slow latency because of the “secondary” data that must be read from and written to the storage drive. Therefore, data swapping enabled in a boot SSD boosts the overall system performance. An embedded SSD’s small form factor
makes it a perfect fit as a server boot drive. Compared to an HDD, adopting an embedded SSD as the server boot SSD is
24 APRIL 2021 | ELECTRONICS
more cost-effective as the primary HDD typically comes with minimum capacities (usually in Terabytes) and minimum pricing of approximately $50, a boot SSD usually comes with capacities of 128GB or less, resulting in overall cost savings. In addition, a Boot SSD’s power consumption is much lower than a typical HDD, saves precious server space reduces the overall cost of ownership and delivers a much more desirable option. More servers are now configuring their
boot drives with SSDs. A Boot SSD, such as Silicon Motion’s FerriSSD is typically installed as an SSD module (either using a SATA DOM or M.2 form factor) or installed directly onboard with a BGA- SSD. This small form factor enables the FerriSSD to be placed virtually anywhere inside a tight server chassis, including a MicroServer’s extremely restricted space. Armed with Silicon Motion’s
proprietary IntelligentScan & DataRefresh, FerriSSD will intelligently activate a self-scanning feature to prevent potential data loss before it occurs; the self-scan frequency will be intelligently adjusted by ambient temperature, erase count, read count, and associated factors. FerriSSD’s unique features, FastWrite, PowerShield and DataPhoenix, are designed to handle sudden power loss by working together to ensure no data is lost even in the event of sudden power off.
Adopting FerriSSD as the Boot SSD will
enhance the overall server performance, eliminate potential downtime, and reduce the total cost of ownership, generating even more outstanding customer and end-user satisfaction. There is no one standard form factor
for a server Boot SSD. FerriSSD is designed with a small BGA SSD form factor to fit into a server’s tight space easily. FerriSSD’s small package (16x20mm) size can be directly soldered onto the mainboard or fit into small modules of a user’s choice: M.2 (2230, 2242, etc.), MO300A, MO297, various SATA DOM modules, or even a 2.5” module. With its industrial- standard 1mm ball pitch size, the FerriSSD provides the most straightforward layout for mechanical engineers, and it is the easiest to manufacture. In addition to utilising standard module form factors, FerriSSD can be soldered down directly to the main PCB or designed in OEMs’ proprietary form factors. When an unexpected power loss
occurs, an SSD is unable to close out its final operations. This can result in permanent loss of current written data and data corruption to previously stored data. To prevent this, a conventional server must deploy expensive forms of UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) or NVDIMM-N (Non-Volatile Dual In-line Memory Module) to handle such situations. With the onset of sudden power loss, FerriSSD offers a safeguard in the form of its FastWrite option, which can reduce UPS size needed and completely replace the NVDIMM-N. FastWrite can boost write speed 2~3x faster (compared to typical MLC write speed) to a reserved area to allow max write throughput for DRAM data dump; during a sudden power off, this feature can quickly save all DRAM data to FerriSSD before a power off.
Silicon Motion
www.siliconmotion.com
/ ELECTRONICS
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