Solid State Storage Reliability and Data Integrity: An In-depth Look

This tutorial provides an in-depth examination of NAND Flash as a storage medium and control techniques used to ensure enterprise-grade Solid State Storage (SSS) reliability and data integrity. Several aspects of the topic are discussed, including reliability characteristics unique to the medium (e.g. wear out, shelf life, early life failures, failure modes), and implications for architecture, implementation, system integration, and deployment of NAND Flash-based SSS. These topics will be reviewed with a focus on device failure rates, data integrity, and data availability. A taxonomy of components is also presented as related to reliability, including what to look for in different classes of products. Finally, recommendations will be made regarding best practices, and information that users should obtain from potential vendors to properly assess SSS device reliability and data integrity.

Learning Objectives
• Gain working knowledge of NAND Flash medium characteristics and controller techniques used to ensure reliability and integrity
• Understand the basic probability and statistics behind solid state storage
• Know how to incorporate SSS into your systems and applications while meeting quality targets