Recently, SK hynix announced the development of its high-capacity solid-state drive (SSD) product, the PS1012 U.2, designed for AI data centers.
According to the company, the PS1012 features the latest PCIe 5.0, which doubles the bandwidth compared to PCIe 4.0. The data transfer speed can reach up to 32GT/s, and its sequential read performance is twice that of the previous generation, reaching 13GB/s. It supports the OCP 2.0 standard (OCP, the Open Compute Project, is an international protocol body consisting of leading global data center companies discussing hardware, software, and enterprise SSD standards for building ultra-efficient data centers), thus enhancing the compatibility of various data center server devices for global AI clients.
The company plans to provide product samples to global server manufacturers for evaluation by the end of this year and expects to expand the product range to 122TB by the third quarter of next year.
SK hynix stated, “With the official arrival of the AI era, the demand for high-performance enterprise SSDs (eSSDs) is rapidly increasing. The QLC technology that enables high capacities is becoming the industry standard. To follow this trend, the company has developed a 61TB product based on this technology and launched it into the market.”
The next goal, according to the plan, is to develop a 244TB product primarily based on 321-layer flash memory technology. “In November of this year, SK hynix developed the world’s highest 321-layer 4D NAND flash memory technology. In order to break through the capacity limits of enterprise SSDs, the company will also focus on developing 244TB products based on 321-layer 4D NAND technology, leading the ultra-high-capacity SSD market for data centers.”
SK hynix began mass production of 238-layer NAND flash products in June 2023 and supplied them to the market, later becoming the first to launch NAND flash products with over 300 layers, pushing the technological boundaries.
Compared to the previous generation, the 321-layer products show a 12% increase in data transfer speed and a 13% improvement in read performance, with over a 10% increase in data read efficiency. SK hynix will actively respond to the low-power, high-performance new market for AI applications with 321-layer NAND flash and gradually expand its range of applications. The company plans to supply 321-layer products to customers starting in the first half of 2025.
In terms of process technology, SK hynix explained that the development of 321-layer 4D NAND adopts the highly efficient “3-Plug2” process technology, overcoming stacking limitations. This technology involves a three-step via-hole process, followed by optimized subsequent processes that electrically connect the three vias (via holes are vertical holes formed after stacking multiple substrate layers). During this process, low-deformation materials were developed (materials that reduce deformation by changing the substances filled in the plugs), and alignment correction technology was introduced between the vias. The company’s technical team also applied the development platform from the previous generation 238-layer NAND flash to the 321-layer product, maximizing process consistency and improving production efficiency by 59% compared to the previous generation.
Solidigm, a subsidiary of SK hynix, earlier announced the launch of the 122TB Solidigm D5-P5336 data center SSD, which can significantly improve energy efficiency and space utilization, offering industry-leading storage efficiency for various use cases from core data centers to the edge.
Solidigm stated that this modern high-density QLC drive, compared to other vendors’ entry-level high-density data center TLC products, delivers up to a 15% performance improvement in handling data-intensive workloads such as content delivery networks, general storage applications, and object storage applications. In continuous write workloads, the D5-P5336 offers up to a 40% higher read response rate.
Regarding the positioning and development of data center SSD products for both companies, SK hynix stated that Solidigm has globally commercialized enterprise SSDs based on QLC for the first time. With Solidigm at the center, SK hynix is leading the market for SSDs suitable for AI data centers. The company looks forward to building a balanced SSD product portfolio through the development of PS1012, maximizing synergies between the two companies.
Source: Internet
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