Tue Jan 22 2019
Various kind of SSD and their utility
SSD stands for Solid-state drive. This device uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to store data persistently, so, sometimes also called solid-state disk. But, SSDs do not have physical disks and have no moving mechanical components.
SSDs may use traditional hard disk drive (HDD) form-factors, protocols and file systems such as SATA and SAS, and NTFS or FAT32 greatly simplifying usage of SSDs in computers, or Form factors, file systems, and interfaces designed for SSDs, and often greatly improving performance and removing unnecessary features like defragmentation which can improve performance on HDDs but reduce the lifespan of SSDs.
The new form factors such as the M.2 form factor and new I/O protocols such as NVM Express have been developed to address specific requirements of the flash memory technology used in SSDs.
SSDs are typically more resistant to physical shock, run silently, have quicker access time and lower latency. But these devices are (as of 2018) still more expensive per unit of storage than HDDs and are expected to continue to be so into the next decade.
The first SSD was implemented in the 1970s and 1980s for use in IBM supercomputers.
In the late 1980s Zitel, Inc., offered a family DRAM-based SSD products, under the trade name "RAMDisk", for use on systems by UNIVAC and Perkin-Elmer, among others.
In 1991, SanDisk Corporation (then SunDisk) shipped the first SSD, a 20 MB solid state drive. It was used by IBM in a ThinkPad laptop.
In 1995, M-Systems introduced flash-based solid-state drives as HDD replacements for the military and aerospace industries, as well as for other mission-critical applications.
In 1999, BiTMICRO made a number of introductions and announcements about flash-based SSDs, including an 18 GB 3.5-inch SSD.
In 2007, Fusion-io announced a PCIe-based Solid state drive with 100,000 input/output operations per second (IOPS) of performance in a single card, with capacities up to 320 gigabytes.
At Cebit 2009, OCZ Technology demonstrated a 1 terabyte (TB) flash SSD using a PCI Express ×8 interface. It achieved a maximum write speed of 654 megabytes per second (MB/s) and a maximum read speed of 712 MB/s.
In December 2009, Micron Technology announced an SSD using a 6 gigabits per second (Gbit/s) SATA interface.
In 2016, Seagate demonstrates 10GB/S transfer speeds from a 16 lane PCIe SSD and also demonstrates a 60TB SSD in a 3.5-inch form factor. Samsung also launches to market a 15.36TB SSD using a SAS interface, using a 2.5-inch form factor but with the thickness of 3.5-inch drives.
This was the first time a commercially available SSD had more capacity than the largest currently available HDD.
In 2017, the first products with 3D Xpoint memory are released. 3D Xpoint is entirely different from NAND Flash and stores data using different principles.
In 2018, both Samsung and Toshiba introduce to market 30.72TB SSDs using the same 2.5-inch form factor but with 3.5-inch drive thickness using SAS interfaces.
Nimbus Data announces and reportedly ships 100TB drives using a SATA interface, a capacity HDDs are not expected to reach until 2025.
Samsung introduces an m.2 SSD with speeds of 3500MB/S.
Why you should use an SSD?
Solid state drives (SSDs) use flash memory to deliver dramatic performance gains compared to mechanical hard drives. Since SSDs don’t have small moving parts that are prone to failure, they offer a wide range of cost-effective benefits to nearly every computer user.
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Faster processing
Faster boots and faster program loads. It loads program immediately within clicks. It enables instant-on performance that's the ability for your system to boot almost immediately. Since SSDs don’t have to mechanically seek out data on a moving platter, they help your system achieve instant-on performance.
Lag-free multitasking
The improved data access capabilities of an SSD allow you to toggle multiple programs with ease. From backing up your data to running antivirus system scans to accessing apps, websites, and playlists, an SSD enables you to multitask like a pro — with little to no lag time.
Energy efficient
Since SSDs don’t have small moving parts, they require less energy to operate and can increase the life of your laptop’s battery.
Low temperature
Since SSDs access data using flash memory rather than seeking it out on a spinning platter like a hard drive, they’re able to maintain more consistent operating temperatures, which can help keep overall system temps down.
Less noise
Since SSDs stay cooler than hard drives, your fan doesn’t have to work as hard, which means less fan noise and quieter overall performance.
Multiple usages
SSDs are available in multiple form factors, and some form factors (like mSATA) are able to plug directly into your system’s motherboard, allowing the drive to act as a cache drive or to work alongside your existing hard drive. With a USB cable, you can also use an SSD like a giant flash drive.
Types of SSD
Interface based
SATA
Most SSDs today are based on the Serial ATA (SATA) interface format. Due to the ubiquitous nature of SATA-based SSDs and SATA-compatible interfaces in computers, a SATA drive may be the best choice. SATA drives are the lowest-cost SSD drives.
SAS
While SATA-based Flash drives are becoming ubiquitous as HDD replacements in servers, many enterprises eyeing SSDs are turning to drives based on SATA’s close cousin, the Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) interface. These drives hold several advantages over SATA drives when it comes to enterprise storage. For starters, the latest SAS format, SAS-3, can move data at speeds up to 12 Gbits, which is twice as fast as SATA drives. SAS also delivers less hardware overhead, which is important when the latency of data exchange and the number of input/output operations per second (IOPS) becomes an issue. SAS drives also feature more highly configurable reporting structure, and deliver better overall end-to-end data integrity than SATA drives.
PCIe
One of the more interesting developments in the SSD market recently is the introduction of new drives that connect to servers and storage arrays through Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe). By effectively bypassing the SATA or SAS controllers, PCIe drives basically plug right onto the backplane of the server, making speed is the big advantage held by PCIe SSDs over other types of SSDs.
Size based
2.5” SSD
The most familiar form factor, and currently the most affordable, is the 2.5” SSD. The drive itself is enclosed in a lightweight shell and will require SATA connectors for power and data transfer. You can commonly find these drives in desktops, small form factor PCs, and laptops, being utilized as boot drives or even the sole storage solution due to the ever-improving price per gigabyte ratio.
mSATA
mSATA, or Mini-SATA, refers to both the form factor of the SSD as well as the interface. This type of SSD is much smaller than the 2.5” drive and is a bare circuit. Typical applications for these drives are netbooks, laptops, small form factor PCs, and other devices that require a smaller footprint.
M.2 SSDs
M.2 SSDs are similar to mSATA drives and also come in as a bare circuit board. The name refers to the form factor and connector and there are both SATA and PCI-E variants. The most noticeable difference is that within the M.2 form factor there are a variety of different width and length combinations, allowing for more flexibility in its usage. Due to its more versatile size, they are typically used for mobile solutions such as ultrabooks or tablets. Additionally, M.2 can support NVMe, giving a performance boost over their counterparts.
PCI-Express
Most recently, PCI-Express SSDs have entered the mainstream consumer market. This form of SSD is the most expensive in terms of price per gigabyte but also offers the best performance. These SSDs use the PCI-E slot as their interface and so will be limited to the speed of the PCI-E slot.
NAND
NAND is a type of flash memory used in solid-state drives and has the benefit of being non-volatile, meaning that it can retain data even with the power off. There are different major types of NAND -
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Single Level Cell (SLC) - It is the most expensive but has faster write speeds, lower power consumption, and higher Program/Erase cycles. SLC is typically used for enterprise-grade solutions.
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Multi-Level Cell (MLC) - It has a lower cost due to higher data density, but suffers from lower write speeds, lower P/E cycles, and higher power consumption than SLC.
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Triple Level Cell (TLC) - TLC is even denser than MLC, amplifying both the pros and the cons. Meaning, it is the lowest costing per GB with lower write speeds and P/E cycles with the benefit of higher storage density. TLC is also consumer grade, but not as commonly found as MLC.
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