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Introduction to Industrial Solid State Drive Performance

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Author : PURPLELEC
Update time : 2023-10-26 10:33:36
  The Industrial Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 are getting closer and closer to us, bringing disruptive changes and the need for reliable data storage, ultimately greatly increasing the number of SSDs in the industrial storage field. The needs of each component in an industrial-grade SSD are very different from those in a consumer product.
  The flash memory controller of industrial-grade solid-state drives must support advanced flash memory management through lower write amplification factors, higher data integrity and higher data retention rates, and more durable data. End-to-end data path protection provides a further means to ensure data integrity across the entire processing block. Preventing unauthorized access is another important feature of industrial-grade SSDs by encrypting data in accordance with advanced encryption standards and supporting the self-encrypting driver standard provided by TCGOpal.
industrial solid-state drives
  Most consumer SSDs are equipped with TLC or 3DQLCNAND flash memory. Although most people still believe that industrial-grade SSDs should be equipped with SLC or 3DMLC NAND flash memory, this is not absolutely necessary.
  Compared to retained TLCNAND flash, SLCND flash was chosen for its high endurance, especially in environments exceeding the commercial temperature range, from 0°C to 70°C. However, the growing demand for storage capacity often requires low-cost technology - SLC flash may simply not have the required capacity, or the initial price may not seem competitive.
  Nonetheless, certain flash memory controllers support a feature that allows it to operate MLC or 3DTLC flash with endurance and data retention comparable to SLC flash - this mode is called pseudo-SLC (PSLC). It opens up the possibility of choosing MLC or TLC flash, but at the same time operates close to the availability of SLC flash. Sophisticated controllers support pseudo operating modes that trade reliability for capacity.
  One of the most important features of industrial-grade SSDs is their stability against power failure. Embedded devices in industrial environments are expected to be immune to sudden power outages and maintain data integrity during such events. The high-quality controller implements a series of internal voltage sensors to monitor the power supply.
  Depending on the manufacturer, each application can be configured individually. If the power supply falls below the configured threshold, the firmware will immediately initiate the flash write protection trigger and take further action to protect the data and set the application to a safe shutdown. Again, the flash controller is responsible for handling such events, which is an essential difference from consumer devices.
  Although flash memory comes in different sizes, interfaces and capacities, the technology behind it is the same. In terms of design, it is inherently unreliable, and the redundancy of the controller and flash memory ultimately determines the life cycle and quality of the SSD. That’s why industrial-grade SSDs must be compatible with the latest flash memories, offering highly reliable operating modes, powerful error correction units and advanced flash redundancy management.