Tech Talk
3IE7 - the 100K NAND
Last updated 12 December 2022
Memory chip manufacturers are continuing to push the boundaries of NAND Flash to get more capacity, faster speeds and higher capacities. Kioxia, Micron, WD, Samsung and others are all working on pushing these boundaries as far as they can.
But what about the industrial space? It is well known that to get the performance and operating temperatures required in the industrial space, it takes a little longer before products are released. It seems though that Innodisk have managed to buck this trend and have released an industrial temperature product range using Kioxia BiCS5 NAND Flash.
The range called 3IE7 uses 112-Layer 3D TLC NAND Flash in pSLC mode, in form factors of 2.5", mSATA, M.2 (S42 & S80) and CFast. PCIe options, will be available in mid-2023. SATA capacities range from 40GB up to 320GB with an operating temperature of between -40 to+85. Most importantly is the endurance.
100K Programme Erase Cycles
Yes, you read that right 100K programme erase cycles. While SLC typically tops out at around 60K and in some cases 80-100K, Innodisk’s technical wizards have weaved their magic and enabled the 3IE7 range to achieve a whopping 100K programme erase cycles using 112 layer
So, what does this mean?
To put this into perspective existing 96 layer 3D TLC NAND Flash in pSLC mode has around 30K programme erase cycles, so achieving 100K is a huge leap and now offers end users high-capacity storage coupled with high endurance making the 3IE7 range perfect for write extensive applications.
pSLC is a NAND flash technology designed to optimize the balance between cost and performance. The firmware technology is built on the framework of 3D triple-level cell (TLC) NAND flash. 3D TLC NAND flash cells are made to hold one bit per cell instead of three, effectively mimicking single-level cell (SLC) NAND flash.
pSLC is a hybrid between 3D TLC and SLC technology, where performance is closer to SLC and endurance is significantly higher than 3D TLC. The price roughly falls between 3D TLC and SLC products.
The program/erase (P/E) cycle limit for pSLC is around 30,000, while 3D TLC is 3,000 and SLC ranges from 60,000 to 100,000. Burn tests show pSLC solid state drives (SSD) far surpass their stated P/E cycle limitations without data loss or data failures.
iSLC technology
For system integrators, choosing the optimal storage solution can be a struggle. 3D TLC products do not deliver
the desired performance and longevity expected and the cost of SLC can far outweigh the benefits. iSLC is aimed at
the segment between the high-end and mission-critical SLC market and the low-end 3D TLC market.
iSLC technology is a flash solution that increases the performance, reliability and endurance of 3D TLC NAND
flash. The cells are enhanced through the screening and programming of SSD firmware, which enables the 3D TLC
NAND flash to mimic SLC.
TBW & DWPD
100K sounds great but what end users also want to know is the TBW (Terra Bytes Written) and DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day), which gives a much clearer indication of performance. The table below shows both of these.
3IE7 Application Uses
So where can a storage device that has the capability for 100K cycles be deployed? Anywhere where you are constantly collecting and storing data, ANPR, transportation, telematics, monitoring stations, casino gaming, industrial computing, networking, retail, the list is endless. 3IE7 is a perfect replacement for MLC NAND Flash whose requirement, although still popular is gradually declining to make way for better NAND with higher endurance at the same or lower price point.
Why 3IE7
High programme erase cycles
Range of form factors
Ideal replacement for SLC and MLC based storage.
PCIe in development-coming soon
Expert advice
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