Kioxia Announces XD6 Datacenter SSDs: PCIe 4.zero and EDSFF At…

Kioxia (previously Toshiba Memory) is saying the brand new XD6 collection datacenter NVMe SSDs, that includes PCIe 4.zero help and utilizing the EDSSF E1.S type components. The XD6 is Kioxia’s first mass-produced product to make use of an EDSFF type issue, and should find yourself being one of many first widely-available merchandise utilizing an E1.S type issue.

Kioxia began their PCIe 4.zero transition earlier this 12 months with the CD6 and CM6 NVMe SSDs, and in addition launched the associated PM6 24G SAS SSD. Those drives are principally designed for the storage equipment and conventional server markets, utilizing the well-established 2.5″ SSD type issue, supporting a broad vary of capacities and endurance tiers and providing superior options like dual-port help and a number of namespaces. The new XD6 collection focuses extra particularly on the hyperscale datacenter market and is predicated on a brand new controller structure that’s separate from that used within the CD6/CM6/PM6 household, however contains the identical improve to 96L 3D TLC NAND flash reminiscence.

Driven by the wants of hyperscalers like Facebook, the XD6 is tuned extra for energy effectivity than uncooked single-drive efficiency. The capability choices are extra restricted, and just one endurance tier (1 DWPD) is obtainable. Many of the extra superior reliability options like dual-port help and a number of sector sizes together with Protection Information have been omitted, reflecting the truth that hyperscale datacenters apply the “cattle, not pets” mindset to complete racks or extra—redundancy is managed in software program on a broader scale, and it isn’t cost-effective at that scale to deal with particular person drives as mission-critical.

Compared to the previous-generation XD5 SSDs, the obvious and important change the XD6 brings is the change from M.2 22110 and a pair of.5″/7mm U.2 form factors to EDSFF E1.S. The introduction of EDSFF to Kioxia’s product line with the XD6 was hinted at in their roadmap over a year ago, but we didn’t expect it to be such an aggressive transition: the M.2 option has been dropped and the 2.5″ U.2 model will probably be launching after the EDSFF variations.

Hyperscalers are the principle driving pressure behind the brand new EDSFF household of type components, and inside that market phase the EDSFF type components are catching on fairly properly. Transitioning to PCIe Gen4-capable platforms additionally supplies a handy alternative to undertake a brand new type issue that mixes the density of M.2 with the hot-swappability and better energy help of U.2 drives. The XD6 makes use of the E1.S type issue (1U peak, quick size) with three completely different thicknesses: 9.5mm with a heatspreader case, and 15mm or 25mm with completely different heatsink sizes. All three variations of the XD6 use the identical PCB and provide the identical efficiency and energy consumption; the completely different thickness choices primarily commerce off between density and airflow necessities.