KIOXIA Introduces First PCIe 4.0 OCP NVMe Cloud Specification-Enabled SSD

By Nathan Kirsch

KIOXIA Introduces Industrys First PCIe 4.0 OCP NVMe Cloud Specification-Enabled SSD

New XD6 Series E1.S Data Center NVMe SSD Optimized for Hyperscale, Open Compute Platform Applications

Kioxia XD6

SAN JOSE, Calif., November 3, 2020 KIOXIA America, Inc. (formerly Toshiba Memory America, Inc.) announced another significant technological contribution to cloud data center infrastructures. Today, the company expanded its broad portfolio of client, enterprise and data center SSDs with the addition of the XD6 Series. KIOXIAs E1.S form factor XD6 SSDs are the first[1] Enterprise and Datacenter SSD Form Factor (EDSFF) E1.S SSDs to address the specific requirements of hyperscale applications, including the performance, power and thermal requirements of the Open Compute Platform (OCP) NVMe Cloud SSD Specification.

Designed to maximize system density, efficiency and simplicity, KIOXIAs EDSFF E1.x SSDs represent the future of flash storage for servers in cloud and hyperscale data centers. As defined by the EDSFF consortium and leveraging the OCP NVMe Cloud SSD Specification, the flexible, efficient, small form factor E1.S replaces the M.2 form factor and delivers greater density, performance, reliability, and thermal management. E1.S is also designed to be hot pluggable for increased serviceability, which is another benefit over M.2.

KIOXIAs XD6 Series is PCIe 4.0 and NVMe 1.3c specification compliant, and is available in E1.S 9.5 millimeter (mm), 15mm, and 25mm form factors. Designed for consistent performance, latency and reliability in 24×7 cloud data centers, the XD6 Series brings performance of ~2x to ~4x compared to PCIe 3.0 SSDs[2].

KIOXIA XD6 Key Features:

  • Sequential read and write performance up to 6,500 megabytes per second (MB/s) and 2,400MB/s, respectively
  • 15W power consumption
  • Security options: non-SED and TCG-Opal[3]
  • Full end-to-end data path protection
  • Power loss protection
  • Expanded drive health information
  • Excellent Quality of Service
  • New KIOXIA-developed, hyperscale-optimized controller

KIOXIA is an active and contributing member to the industry development of EDSFF E1.S/L and E3.S/L solutions and is collaborating with leading server and storage system developers to unlock the full power of flash memory, NVMe and PCIe.

Developing and deploying flash-based products is very challenging, and the OCP-based NVMe Cloud SSD Specification helps by aligning SSD providers with hyperscale needs, said Ross Stenfort, hardware storage engineer, Facebook. EDSFF E1.S is the next generation of flash form factors, delivering superior thermals, performance, serviceability, and scalability when compared to current solutions. KIOXIAs support of EDSFF is a great step forward and lays the groundwork for the future.

Hyperscale data centers are the heart of the internet, and the OCP platform will power future generations with SSDs optimized for server platforms, noted Neville Ichhaporia, senior director, marketing and product management, Data Center and Client SSD Division at KIOXIA America, Inc. KIOXIA is proud to work with industry leaders on innovative storage solutions, such as our XD6 Series data center NVMe SSDs, to power their critical applications.

KIOXIAs XD6 drives are now sampling to select customers. For more information, please visit www.KIOXIA.com.

About KIOXIA America, Inc.
KIOXIA America, Inc. (formerly Toshiba Memory America, Inc.) is the U.S.-based subsidiary of KIOXIA Corporation, a leading worldwide supplier of flash memory and solid state drives (SSDs). From the invention of flash memory to todays breakthrough BiCS FLASH 3D technology, KIOXIA continues to pioneer cutting-edge memory solutions and services that enrich people’s lives and expand society’s horizons. The company’s innovative 3D flash memory technology, BiCS FLASH, is shaping the future of storage in high-density applications, including advanced smartphones, PCs, SSDs, automotive, and data centers. For more information, please visit KIOXIA.com.

Notes:

[1] Based on a survey of publicly available information as of November 3, 2020.

[2] Performance comparison based on specifications and benchmark testing between KIOXIA Corporation XD5 Series and XD6 Series SSDs, as of November 3, 2020. Subject to change.

[3] SED: Self-Encrypting Drive option supports TCG-Opal.