Micron unveils new PCIe I/O accelerator

The new Micron P420m combines consistent performance with the inherent power efficiency of an all-flash system to deliver improved economics for enterprise data centers. The P420m accelerates performance of today’s demanding data center applications, including online transaction processing (OLTP), data warehousing and virtualization. Ultimately, Micron’s P420m ends the wait game for digital data. It features ultra-low latency performance that enables fast and predictable response times to information frequently used in data center environments. “The P420m is a true workhorse—it delivers where performance matters most,” said Ed Doller, VP and general manager of Micron’s Enterprise SSD division. “Introduction of the P420m is a testament to our commitment to storage innovation for all levels of integration. We’ve expanded our portfolio to address the changing storage needs of today’s data centers, regardless the workload.” The P420m is designed using Micron’s custom-designed ASIC controller, advanced 25-nanometer (nm) multilevel cell (MLC) NAND flash technology, DRAM, firmware and drivers to create a truly vertically integrated solution. The vertical integration begins with intimate knowledge of the NAND media and extends all the way to the end-system design, manufacture and drivers. This end-to-end involvement ensures delivering the ultimate level of storage quality and efficiency. The P420m uses Micron’s Extended Performance and Enhanced Reliability Technology (XPERT) architecture, which closely incorporates the storage and controller through optimized firmware algorithms and hardware enhancements. The end result is a set of market-focused enterprise features that deliver ultra-low latencies, improved data transfer time, power-loss protection and cost-effectiveness, along with higher capacities and power efficiency. The P420m low-profile accelerator card comes in a half-height, half-length (HHHL) form factor for rackmount servers. It is also the industry’s first MLC PCIe solution available in a 2.5-inch form factor. The 2.5-inch form factor is growing in popularity among IT administrators because of its ease of serviceability and scalability; it allows drive access from the front of the server, which eliminates the need to power down the server for drive service. This hot-swap capability dramatically decreases server downtime and maintenance costs. The drive will be available in 350GB, 700GB and 1.4TB capacitiesi. Micron is currently sampling the P420m with production expected to begin in June 2013.