Q: What makes SanDisk® G3
SSD unique?
A: The following characteristics distinguish
SanDisk G3 SSD from the rest of the SSDs on the market:
- People: SanDisk has over 20 years of experience in developing
managed NAND products - the best engineers in the world
- SSD Experience: SanDisk has over 15 years of experience in
delivering SSDs which historically started by supplying SSDs to
military and aerospace clients, and having to meet the harsh
requirements of these markets..
- Algorithms & IP: SanDisk is a holder of a wide assortment
of patents and IPs, most recently ExtremeFFS™ technology1; the new
page-based flash management algorithm, tailored specifically to
have the potential to improve random write speed and maximize
performance in computing applications.
- ABL NAND: SanDisk is the inventor of a new type of MLC NAND
flash called All Bit Line (ABL) that is twice as fast as and lower
in power consumption than traditional MLC NAND. The SanDisk G3 uses
43nm ABL MLC NAND components.
- SanDisk Controller: SanDisk brings in-house development of
brand new controller - 9 cores, 64MB of DRAM and a 128 bit bus to
the NAND
- Balanced Drive: SanDisk G3 SSD is a balanced drive, providing
enhanced user experience with uncompromising reliability and
endurance
Q: What is the ExtremeFFS™
technology flash management system?
A: ExtremeFFS technology1 was developed
by SanDisk to maximize random write performance. The algorithm
operation is page-based, 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.
ExtremeFFS technology 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. ExtremeFFS technology has the potential to
accelerate random write performance thus extend the endurance of
SanDisk(R) G3 SSDs inside PCs that use operating systems such as
Windows XP and Windows 7.
1ExtremeFFS technology is a SanDisk page-based flash
management algorithm, optimized for popular operating systems, has
the potential to greatly increase SSD random write speeds and
efficiency thus accelerating the performance and extending the
endurance of SSDs inside PCs.
Q: Can I trust my data to
SanDisk® G3 SSD?
A: SanDisk G3 SSD has no moving parts, thus it is
engineered to endure shocks and vibration adding to its reliability
in stressful operating conditions so your files are less likely to
be lost due to disk drive failure. With an MTBF1 of 2
million hours, SanDisk® G3 SSD is rugged and reliable. In addition,
SanDisk G3 SSD can support/withstand 80 terabytes
written2.
1MTBF - Mean time between failures based on ongoing
SanDisk reliability tests.
2Approximations based on LDE (Long-term Data Endurance)
- an industry metric, introduced by SanDisk, that quantifies how
much data can be written to a SSD in its lifespan expressed in
terabytes written (TBW). Data is written using typical PC transfer
size , written at a constant rate over the life of the SSD and data
is retained for at least 1 year upon LDE exhaustion. Based on
SanDisk internal measurements, a typical client PC user writes
4GB/day
Q: What is Long term Data
Endurance (LDE)?
A: LDE is the first industry metric that expresses
how much data can be written to a SSD during its lifespan in a
simple, accurate and relevant number. The LDE specification was
developed by SanDisk and submitted to JEDEC as a benchmark to
enable users to compare the data endurance of SSDs from various
manufacturers. Based on typical end-user activity, LDE provides the
total number of data writes, expressed in terabytes written (TBW)
that can be performed during the SSD lifespan. Data is written
using typical PC transfer size distribution of writes, written at a
constant rate over the life of the SSD and data is retained for at
least 1 year upon LDE exhaustion. A typical client PC user writes
4GB/day, based on SanDisk internal measurements.
Q: Which markets are
appropriate for SSDs?
A: The markets first to adopt SSDs are those who
can most enjoy the benefits of SSDs over HDDs - Ruggedness,
reliability, performance and power consumption are most crucial to
mobile PC users, high-power users such as gamers and corporate
users.
- The business laptop market in particular, is a prime target for
SSD adoption. Not only will SSD benefits increase employee
productivity, business efficiency and reduce IT costs (as they
require less repair and maintenance), but when the TCO (total cost
of ownership) is taken into account, this clearly justifies the
investment.
- As for corporate and private mobile user- those users who are
frequently on the road will value the ruggedness and reliability of
the SSD compared to the fragile mechanical components of the HDDs.
Their crucial data will be safely stored without risking data loss
as a result of disk drive failures and crashes..
- Enthusiatics, DIYs and Gamers - The Do It Yourself (DIYs) and
Enthusiastic consumers are the early adopters consumers that are
keen on owning the latest technology out there. The Gamers are
consumers who use their PCs for gaming and are looking for the most
efficient PC performance to enhance their gaming experience. Both
are expected to have a keen interest in SSDs as it symbolizes a
step beyond the traditional HDD storage technology as well as
provide an enhanced user experience.
Q: Why should I pay more per
GB of SSD storage when I can pay less and get much more storage
with an HDD?
A: The issue is not the cost per GB, but the cost
per device. How much is a particular user willing to pay for a
storage device to get a particular job done? We have learned from
corporate CIOs that they are willing to pay a 10-20% premium for a
laptop with an SSD. Not all users are storage hungry. Corporate
users such as road warriors, for instance need capacity of about
100GB to get their work done, and then are much more concerned with
productivity and user experience. Flash addresses these concerns
directly by offering durability, fast computing* and
power efficiency. As SSDs continue to make their way into
mainstream adoption, prices will become more attractive and SSDs
will be available at higher capacities to a growing population. The
question is no longer if SSDs will be adopted in computing
applications, but how quickly such adoption will take place in the
various sub-segments.
*Based on SanDisk internal testing using Microsoft
Windows Performance Tool Kit. Performance varies depending upon OS
and application. Platform: Dell Optiplex 760, Intel Core 2
Processor E8400, 2GB DDR2; OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate;
HDD:Seagate HDD 7200.4 RPM 250 GB; SSD: G3 RC304 60GB.
Q: Why would anyone spend
more money on a laptop with a solid state drive than one with a
hard disk drive?
A: The benefits of flash - durability, faster
computing*, and power efficiency - are worth their cost
to mobile PC users who put a price tag on productivity, data
accessibility and their personal user experience. They can't afford
to lose their data or compromise their productivity when their hard
drive crashes. Their laptop's speed is critical to them. Their time
is literally worth money.
*Based on SanDisk internal testing using Microsoft
Windows Performance Tool Kit. Performance varies depending upon OS
and application. Platform: Dell Optiplex 760, Intel Core 2
Processor E8400, 2GB DDR2; OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate;
HDD:Seagate HDD 7200.4 RPM 250 GB; SSD: G3 RC304 60GB.
Q: When do you expect the
mainstream consumer market to endorse SSDs and how big will this
market be?
A: Analysts predict that by 2013 the cost of a
unit of storage will be attractive enough to interest the mass
market and will be adopted instead of HDDs in 20% to 30% of client
computers. By then market education of flash benefits will have
penetrated from the early adopters to the mainstream.
Q: Will SSDs completely
replace hard disks the way flash products replaced 35mm film and
floppy disks? Or will SSDs and HDDs live
side-by-side?
A: Today, we see SSDs living side by side with
hard drives. Hard drives are not going to disappear anytime soon,
though SSD technology has the potential to encroach on certain
traditional hard drive territories at a growing rate.