SMART Modular Technologies Unveils 256GB Solid-State Drives

SMART Modular Technologies, a provider of memory modules, solid-state drives, embedded computing subsystems, and TFT-LCD display products, recently announced that it has upgraded the capacity of its SATA interface XceedUltraX and XceedSecure solid-state drive (SSD) product lines to 256GB memory.

In general, a solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that makes use of solid-state memory to store persistent data.

According to Mark Dupaul, senior product marketing manager of SMART Modular Technologies (News - Alert), the company’s latest 256GB SSDs are ideal for industrial, aerospace and defense applications such as tactical fighters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), because these applications require a combination of high storage density, extreme ruggedness, high reliability, defense-grade data security, and low power.

Dupaul added: "Fortunately, the continuing price decline of SSDs is making it more affordable to use them in applications that require high-capacity storage."

Company officials at SMART Modular Technologies said that the latest 256GB XceedUltraX and XceedSecure SSDs feature all of the battle-tested attributes of the current/existing XceedUltraX and XceedSecure products. The XceedSecure SSD features company’s unique ZAP (News - Alert) technology, which leverages a destructive erase technique that destroys access to a drive when triggered by a hardware input. A high energy pulse destroys access to each flash chip on the drive, rendering the drive inoperable. Both the earlier SSDs featured SLC NAND flash capacity in a 9.5mm height form factor.

Featuring SATA 3Gb/s interface, the new XceedUltraX and XceedSecure SSDs are housed in a form factor of 2.5 inch and 16-mm high. The SSDs have commercial operating temperature range from 0 degree centigrade to 70 degree centigrade and industrial operating temperature range from -40 degree centigrade to 85 degree centigrade.

Apart from featuring high shock and vibration characteristics, the new SSDs have full complement of EraSure protocols, including current defense and IRIG 106-07 data declassification standards on the XceedSecure versions, said the company.

Officials at SMART also said that the new SSDs provide support for Smart Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.), which provides access to diagnostic information, such as drive temperature and spares monitoring. This assists in predicting drive degradation.

In addition, the new 256GB XceedUltraX and XceedSecure SSDs comply with MIL-STD-810F environmental specifications for operating shock, vibration, humidity and altitude.

According to SMART, Each drive passes a demanding eight-hour, full-temperature range burn-in test prior to shipment. These 256GB SSDs will be available in September 2009.

SMART showcased its entire portfolio of storage products at the recent Flash Memory Summit in Santa Clara, California. SMART offers high performance, high capacity solid-state drives for enterprise, defense/aerospace, industrial automation, medical, and transportation markets, through its subsidiary, Adtron Corporation.