Smart storage controllers unleash flash performance in data centre servers
Microsemi’s latest storage input/output (I/O) controllers are powered by the Microsemi Unified Smart Storage Stack.
The production release of a new generation of storage I/O controllers, the SmartROC 3100 and SmartIOC 2100, have been added to Microsemi’s server storage offerings for data centre applications.
Microsemi’s Smart Storage Stack offers reliable high performance storage controller software platforms. The Smart Storage Platform is available now in production release and delivers advanced security features, such as maxCrypto controller-based encryption and enterprise-class data protection support. It is also claimed to result in what Microsemi describes as “significant power savings” compared to previous generations and competing product offerings. The platform achieves up to 1.6million random read I/O operation/s and delivers greater than 35 per cent power savings compared to competing solutions.
The server storage offers a common firmware and software stack across host bus adapters (HBAs), redundant array of independent disks (RAID) and other applications that enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), original design manufacturers (ODMs) and hyperscale customers to deliver a variety of custom boards.
Microsemi’s smart storage can be used in any server storage application with 12 Gbit/s serial attached SCSI (small computer system interface) or SAS, or 6Gbit/s Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid state drives (SSDs). Microsemi’s smart storage controllers are performance-optimised around SSD performance and power-optimised for HDD-based cold storage. Features are available for both deployment extremes as well as hybrid SSD/HDD applications. They also support data protection schemes including RAID, erasure coding and data replication.
When combined with Microsemi’s Unified Smart Storage Stack, the SmartIOC 2100 and SmartRoC 3100 provide a common firmware and software stack with optimised density and variants available in eight-, 16- and 24-port configurations for 12Gbit/s SAS and 6Gbit/s SATA. Two additional dedicated boot drive ports are available with the 16- and 24-port variants.
Microsemi’s Unified Smart Storage Stack, and the fourth generation SmartRoC 3100 and SmartIOC 2100 controller product families, are available in volume production quantities now.
