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Latest News from SCSISSD

SSDL Invited to Exhibit on the UK Pavilion at FIDAE 2024

Reading, United Kingdom –Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL), the advanced storage systems design, development and integration specialist, has been invited to exhibit on the UK Pavilion stand at the International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE), in Santiago, Chile, between 9th and 14th April.

FIDAE is Latin America’s oldest and most widely recognized aerospace, defence and security exhibition. This year’s event will be a multi-sectorial event covering the following areas: civil and commercial aviation, defence, airport equipment and services, homeland security, aircraft maintenance and space technology.

“We’re delighted to have been invited to exhibit at this year’s FIDAE,” comments James Hilken, SSDL’s Sales & Marketing Director. “Within many of the sectors the event covers, equipment is used that was designed decades ago and uses legacy data storage devices, such as early generation SCSI, IDE (PATA) hard disk and tape drives and even ESDI, Shugart, and IDC floppy disk drives. With their moving parts, these drives are starting to fail.”

Hilken goes on to say that users are discovering to their dismay that spare drives purchased when the host system was new are failing as soon as they are powered up. “These drives are meant to be regular use otherwise you get problems. In the case of a still-boxed hard disk drive that’s been sat in stores for decades, the heads will have dropped and now be in contact with the disk’s surface. Spinning it strips the surface of its magnetic material.”

SSDL will be using FIDAE to showcase and discuss its solid-state, swap-in replacements for electromechanical drives. Being solid-state they have no moving parts, are high reliability, draw less power and are quieter. Moreover, security is improved and more can be done with solid-state drives, such as networking and memory management.

SSDL’s invitation to exhibit at FIDAE was received at about the same time the company officially launched its SCSIFlash-Fast™ drive at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics in Farnborough, United Kingdom; a product launch that received much interest from (and coverage in) the technical trade press.

SSDL has also been invited to an evening reception before FIDAE starts that will be hosted by Louise de Sousa, His Majesty’s Ambassador (HMA) to Chile. In attendance will be other exhibitors, leading members of the armed forces and VIPS in the region.

About SSDL

Established in 1989, Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL) is the industrial division of the Reactive Group of companies and specialises in the design, development and integration of advanced storage systems for mil/aero, commercial and industrial applications as well as the distribution of solid-state Flash memory and DRAM technologies.

For further information, please visit: www.solidstatedisks.com

SCSIFlash-Fast™: Protecting and Enhancing Legacy Computing Systems

Southern Manufacturing & Electronics, Farnborough, United Kingdom – Solid State Disks Ltd. (SSDL), a leading manufacturer of solid-state-drives (SSDs) and a value-added reseller (VAR) of latest-technology Flash and DRAM solutions, has launched SCSIFlash-Fast™, a swap-in upgrade/replacement for electromechanical hard disk drives (HDDs) that use the SCSI interface.

Initially available with 68- and 80-pin connectors and write speeds of up to 80MB/s, SCSIFlash-Fast™ uses proven SCSI drive architecture and industrial CFast or M.2 SSD memory (with storage capacities ranging from 2GB to 1TB). The drive features configurable hardware, allowing the OEMs of (or those responsible for maintaining) legacy systems to replace or upgrade obsolete HDDs that were made in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, and improve system reliability and security.

James Hilken, SSDL’s Sales & Marketing Director, says: “There are several computer-based systems in use within aerospace, defence, manufacturing, medical, telecommunications and other sectors that were designed decades ago and were fitted with then state-of-the-art SCSI hard disk drives. With their moving parts, these long-obsolete drives are increasingly failing. Our SCSIFlash-Fast drive is a highly reliable swap-in replacement for virtually any SCSI hard disk drive that’s more than 20 years old.”

SCSIFlash-Fast™ is configured to order and can replicate the exact behaviour of the SCSI HDD it replaces, meaning no modifications need to be made to the host system; which in many cases must not be modified (i.e. its functionality has been certified) or it is simply not cost-effective to do so. With SSDL’s SCSIFlash-Fast™, the SCSI version is set to that of the host system (SASI, SCSI-1, SCSI-2 or Ultra3) and the disk sector size is set to 256, 512, 768, 1024, 2048 or 4096. Other configurations can also be applied, including the preloading of data.

“We have made it possible to remove an old-tech SCSI drive and insert a SCSIFlash-Fast and the host system will not detect the difference,” adds Hilken. “Also, because ours is a solid-state drive it is far more reliable than the drive it replaces, is more secure, draws less power and is quieter. It can also be networked, thanks to an optional Ethernet port, which means it can be accessed remotely for backs ups and system reboots, for example.”

Other SCSIFlash-Fast™ features include its ability to automatically detect 16- or 8-bit data operation, as well as single-ended (SE) and low voltage different (LVD) signalling. Also, more than one SCSI address and logical unit number (LUN) can be supported by a single unit, and its microcode is field upgradable via USB.

SCSIFlash-Fast™ requires a 5VDC supply and will consume just 0.8W (plus whatever power the storage media draws, which will vary depending on memory type). The form factor is an industry-standard 3.5” disk drive (102 x 147 x 25mm (W x L x H)).

SCSIFlash-Fast™ is available immediately and detailed datasheets of the two launch drives can be viewed and downloaded from https://www.solidstatedisks.com/legacy-tapes-drives.

Available with 68- (left) and 80-pin (right) connectors, Solid State Disks Ltd.’s SCSIFlash-Fast™ drive can replicate the exact behaviour of virtually any SCSI hard disk drive, thus restoring the reliability of (and user confidence in) computer-based systems design decades ago, still relied on today and which must provide several more years of service.

Reliability Improved & Confidence Restored

Reproduced here with the kind permission of the Editor of Aerospace Manufacturing. Article in Aerospace Manufacturing, January 2024 issue. View pdf of the article here

Solid-state-based emulators are increasingly replacing floppy drives and other yesteryear storage technologies. Brian McSloy explains how solid-state-based swap-in drives are keeping host system operational and delivering new features.

The aerospace and defence sectors are renowned for the length of service systems and platforms must provide. Not surprisingly there are computer-based systems such as flight simulators, radar systems and automatic test equipment (ATE) stations in service today that were built more than 40 years ago.

Many of these systems were designed to use removable media such as magnetic (floppy) disks, magneto-optical (MO) disks or magnetic tapes. For example, some airlines are currently using Airbus A320 aircraft that had their maiden flights back in the 1980s, when floppy disk was the primary means of data transfer.

These old-technology drives all have moving parts that, over the years, have worn. Their failure might be imminent, potentially resulting in considerable problems when the host system loses its ability to read or write data.

Unfortunately, new replacements are obsolete; superseded years ago by newer technologies such as SD card and USB. Even early generation hard disk drives (HDDs) are now obsolete.

However, it is not just that the original storage devices have become obsolete. Alternatives that use the same physical interfaces are not available either. For example, an extremely popular way of connecting computer peripherals in the 1980s (and through to the early 2000s) was the small computer system interface (SCSI, “scuzzy”). It was standardised in 1986 as the SCSI parallel interface (SPI) 8-bit wide, single-ended bus. The standard evolved through a number of iterations, doubling the number of data lines to 16 and incorporating differential signalling (allowing the transfer rate to significantly increase) before finally being superseded by the serial attached SCSI (SAS) interface.

Many data storage device types – including floppy, MO, tape and HDD – adopted SCSI. However, above, the word ‘standardised’ must be taken with a pinch of salt because OEMs did not always implement the full standard. For example, they often retained just the SCSI command protocol or the SCSI architectural model. Moreover, many SCSI drives were designed with a specific host in mind, and the latter would only interface with that exact model number (see figure 1).

The unavailability of a new or reconditioned drive need not mark the end of the hosts system’s life, though.

Emulation A number of companies are specialising in the design and manufacture of solid-state-based storage devices that can replicate the behaviour of these yesteryear units, even if their communications protocols were modified to make them unique to a host.

How is this done? Some details of the drive and its interface might be available online. However, in Solid State Disks Ltd’s (SSDL’s) case the company had to develop techniques to interrogate working drives because the level of information available online was insufficient to create emulations compatible with a number of host systems.

Alternatively, specialised analysis equipment can be taken to a host system and placed between it and the drive so that signal timings can be captured and programmed into the emulator. This is a worst-case scenario though, as extreme care must be taken when handling a drive that has become fragile over the years – but which is still in use within a host, is relied upon and there’s no backup/alternative immediately to hand.

In essence, an emulator (like the one shown in Figure 2) for virtually any 1980s/90s drive can be created though it often requires more than simply adopting the same connector configuration and emulating the communication protocol.

Legacy drives are for the most part based on logical blocks, where the exact encoding of the data onto the disk is handled internally by the storage device. For some classes of device, such as ESDI or floppy, the encoding has to be implemented within the storage device’s firmware. This is a complex operation that can only be achieved by reverse engineering the particular implementation, including a detailed low-level examination of the format written to the media (which sometimes varies across the surface).

Also, the emulator may need to be formatted – in much the same way a USB stick needs to be formatted to at least FAT32 for use with Windows, for example. In addition, some hosts will expect a new drive to be filled entirely with logic zeros. Others will require the old data to be present on the new drive, in which case it needs to be copied. Again, care must be taken as the old drive will most likely be fragile.

The New Storage Medium Because emulators have the same physical connector, interface protocols, memory maps and formatting (and if necessary, data already preloaded), the host system does not need to be modified. It will treat the new drive as if a replacement original had been installed, with the added benefit that reliability is greatly improved because solid-state has no moving parts. It draws less power too.

The storage media used in emulators tends to be industrial grade Compact Flash (CF) cards, which can be removed and treated like floppy disks, for example, but are far more robust. And if the emulator is replacing an HDD, a CF card is still the storage media; hidden behind a plate so that it cannot be removed. Note, the use of industrial grade CF cards also assures longer-term availability than its commercial equivalent.

Based on the end application there are a few things to consider when deciding on the CF card’s capacity and technology. Though solid-state drives have no moving parts, the memory will wear as a result of program-erase (PE) cycles.

Flash memory is typically NAND flash, of which there are different types. Single-level cell (SLC) technology stores one bit per cell and is the fastest type. Multi-level cell (MLC) stores two bits per cell, thus providing double the storage capacity. However, that doubling of capacity and a cheaper memory comes at the expense of speed (MLC is slower) and a greatly reduced (circa 30x) number of PE cycles; 100,000 for SLC but only 3,000 for MLC.

Saving the Day As mentioned, a solid-state-based emulator can replicate the behaviour of virtually any 1980s or 1990s drive. Also, the use of modern technology introduces many new possibilities. For instance, the emulator shown in Figure 2 has an Ethernet port. This means it can be networked and accessed remotely; and some emulator OEMs have Windows-based memory management software for hot-backups and system recovery etc.

However, obsolescence is a moving target, and there are systems in use today that have already had their original drives replaced with an emulator which itself has since become obsolete. Accordingly, emulator OEMs must themselves keep on top of obsolescence.

SSDL’s Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Debut

Reading, United Kingdom –Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL), the advanced storage systems design, development and integration specialist, is pleased to announce that the company will be exhibiting at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics, 6th – 8th February 2024, at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre.

On stand C25, SSDL will be showcasing a wide range of memory solutions from its suppliers Innodisk, Transcend and Western Digital / SanDisk and technical specialists will be on hand to advise visitors on memory selection and explain the variety of services the company offers to support engineers, manufacturers and purchasers. For example, the close relationship SSDL enjoys with its suppliers, and other manufacturers, enables the company to offer direct pricing, support variable demand and even lock down BOMs.

“We’re looking forward to Southern Manufacturing & Electronics, and we’re confident that every visitor to our stand will learn something,” said James Hilken, Sales Director of SSDL. “As an OEM of products ourselves, we are wholly empathetic to the needs of designers, manufacturers and purchasers. This means visitors to our stand can meet with the people most qualified to give advice.”

SSDL also be using Southern Manufacturing & Electronics to formally launch its much-anticipated SCSIFlash3 drive.

About SSDL

Established in 1989, Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL) is the industrial division of the Reactive Group of companies and specialises in the design, development and integration of advanced storage systems for mil/aero, commercial and industrial applications as well as the distribution of solid-state Flash memory and DRAM technologies.

For further information, please visit: www.solidstatedisks.com

Solid State-based Emulation is a Sustainable Option

View pdf of the article here Electronics Weekly 2023 11 29 issue – 26, 27

Reproduced here with the kind permission of the Editor of Electronics Weekly.

When a decades-old system is still heavily relied upon, but its now-obsolete storage device fails, what is the best course of action? Brian McSloy, Chief Technology Officer of Solid State Disks Ltd advocates the use a solid-state-based emulator and explains what’s involved in making one.

Data storage media such as magnetic (floppy) and magneto-optical (MO) disks, magnetic tapes and even early HDDs are, from a technical industry viewpoint, things of the distant past. However, many systems that were designed in that distant past, incorporating then state-of-the-art storage devices and media, are still in use today and must provide several more years of service.

For instance, in the military and aerospace sectors, radar systems, simulators, automatic test equipment (ATE) and computers are in use that were built more than 40 years ago and are based on pre-PC mini-computers and industrial computers. Also, some airlines are using Airbus A320 aircraft that had their maiden flights back in the 1980s, when floppy disk was the primary means of data transfer.

In the telecoms sector, legislation mandates that legacy services must continue to be offered, regardless of their commercial viability. Accordingly, digital access cross-connect systems (DACs), private automatic branch exchanges (PABXs) and other infrastructure from the 1980s and 1990s must remain operational. An example of perhaps the most ironic continued use of yesteryear data storage technology is within the semiconductor industry, where some fabs use tools that accept file transfers (for process recipes, for instance) only by floppy disk.

Where the removable media is concerned, some types are still available, albeit increasingly hard to come by. For example, the last manufacturer of 3.5” floppy disk media called it a day back in 2010. But that is not the main problem. With their moving parts, it is the mechanical drives themselves that start to fail. New replacements are simply not available and refurbished second-hand drives, when they can be found, carry short warranties. Moreover, it is not just that the original storage devices have become obsolete, alternatives that use the same physical interfaces are not available either.

In the interests of sustainability and keeping the host system operational for as long as possible, the practical solution is to replace the failing storage device with an emulator, a solid-state-based drive that uses the same physical connector, interface protocols and memory maps as the failing drive. Taking the swap-in replacement route means the host system needs no modifications and being solid-state, reliability is greatly improved (and with a lower power requirement). Also, if fitted with an Ethernet port, the new drive can be networked which opens a whole new world of possibilities.

As for the choice of storage media to use in the emulator, an industrial class Compact Flash (CF) card is the ideal choice, particularly where the end application still requires the memory to be removed.

Why industrial CF? It provides high endurance and longer-term availability than its commercial equivalent. Based on the end application (i.e., how the host system will be using the drive) other considerations include capacity, performance and memory wear. For instance, multi-level cell (MLC) is higher capacity but slower and has less endurance than single-level cell (SLC). That said, memory access will still be faster than with the old drive. As it is program-erase (PE) cycles that cause Flash memory wear, the correct selection of CF card is important, with the choice mainly dependent on the write frequency and the required device capacity.

Copy That

An extremely popular way of connecting computer peripherals in the 1980s through to the early 2000s was the small computer system interface (SCSI, “scuzzy”). Many storage device types adopted this interface including floppy, MO, tape and HDD.

The SCSI interface was standardised in 1986 as the SCSI parallel interface (SPI) 8-bit wide, single-ended bus. The SCSI standard evolved through a number of iterations, doubling the number of data lines to 16 and incorporating differential signalling, allowing the transfer rate to significantly increase, before finally being superseded by the serial attached SCSI (SAS) interface.

Also, the word ‘standardised’ must be taken with a pinch of salt as there was, particularly in earlier implementations, a level of incompatibility that has to be catered for in any emulator. Other interfaces were launched that do not incorporate the full standard, retaining just the SCSI command protocol or the SCSI architectural model, for example.

Within SCSI there are a number of standard mode pages and a set number of vendor unique ones. The latter tend to be used by host systems to determine if the drive is valid or not. Host system OEMs like Compaq and HP were heavily into this practice in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Indeed, many storage devices were developed for a specific host’s chassis. Figure 1 shows a Fujitsu HDD manufactured in the 1990s to fit a 1980s design for an IBM host computer.

This looseness of the SCSI standard also meant drive OEMs, such as CDC Control Data, Seagate, Quantum, Fujitsu and Connor, could implement SCSI in slightly different ways to make their solutions proprietary.

As mentioned, the goal is to make a replacement drive that can be switched for the failing one and for the host system not to notice.

In terms of designing the interface protocol into an emulator, there is the issue of accounting for any tweaks the host system might require. This information may be available online, but the most reliable method to determine it is to interrogate a working drive, even a refurbished one will do provided it is a similar model.

In the absence of information or an identical or similar drive, one option is reverse engineering: taking a logic analyser to the end application and placing it in-line between the host system and the legacy drive and recording the control and data lines. The timings will need to be reproduced in firmware and in this respect microcontrollers (MCUs) are available that lend themselves well to the task. For example, a highly capable MCU is the Atmel SMART SAM9XE which is based on the integration of an ARM926EJ-S processor with fast ROM, RAM and Flash, and has a wide range of peripherals. It also embeds an Ethernet MAC and a MultiMedia/SD Card Interface.

An emulator for virtually any 1980s/90s drive can be built around a suitable MCU, a suitable interface driver, some glue logic and power devices, and result in a relatively compact, low-power unit. Figure 2 shows a 2.5” solid-state SCSI (50-pin connector) drive with dual CF cards, which means data can be mirrored.

Once an emulator exists as a replacement it should be plain sailing. But will it though? Legacy drives are for the most part based on logical blocks, where the exact encoding of the data onto the disk is handled internally by the storage device (HDD, tape, etc.), but for some classes of device, such as ESDI or floppy, the encoding has to be implemented within the storage device’s firmware. This is a complex operation that can only be achieved by reverse engineering the particular implementation, including detailed low-level examination of the format written to the media, which sometimes varies across the surface.

What also needs to be considered is what the host system expects to be written to the drive or media before it is installed. In other words, the drive may need to be formatted, in much the same way a USB stick needs to be formatted to at least FAT32 for use with Windows. Also, some hosts will expect a new drive to be filled entirely with logic zeros. Other hosts will require the old data to be present on the new drive. This can be a problem, as some drives will have become very fragile over the years. Great care must be taken not to cause loss of data during investigation or replacement.

Moving Target

Above we have mainly discussed SCSI, but ESDI and IDE were also popular interfaces in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Thankfully, these can be emulated too and emulator OEMs like SSDL have created firmware libraries that reside in each emulator.

However, obsolescence is a moving target, and there are systems in use today that have already had their original drive replaced with an emulator which has subsequently become obsolete too. Accordingly, emulators can keep legacy systems operational, improve reliability, reduce power and support new features if required, but they must themselves be subject to obsolescence management. Making an emulator to replicate exactly the behaviour of a yesteryear technology drive, which was probably paired to a specific host, is not without its challenges or rewards.

SSDL’s SCSIFlash Can Now Emulate TEAC FC1 Micro Floppy Disk Drives

Reading, United Kingdom –Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL), the advanced storage systems design, development and integration specialist, has developed procedures that enable its popular solid-state SCSI Flash drive to emulate the 12 TEAC FD-235HS, 3.5-inch double-sided 5.3 track/mm (135tpl) micro floppy drive, known within the industry as the FC1.

Micro floppy disks were available in 1 and 2MB capacities, in either single (SD) or high density (HD) formats and the drives interface with their host via SCSI.

“We’re pleased to add the TEAC FC1 micro floppy disk drive to our growing list of emulation capabilities,” said James Hilken, Sales Director of SSDL, “as it reinforces the versatility of our highly reliable and cost-effective SCSIFlash technology.”

SSDL’s SCSIFlash supports 12 fixed FC1 emulations and one variable emulation that can be configured by the host using the SCSI MODE SELECT command.

Any routines that users have in place involving backing up to micro floppy disks – or using them for system restoration – can be followed using Compact Flash (CF) cards instead.

A pdf revision of our Teac FC1 Application Note is available to download.

About SSDL

Established in 1989, Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL) is the industrial division of the Reactive Group of companies and specialises in the design, development and integration of advanced storage systems for mil/aero, commercial and industrial applications as well as the distribution of solid-state Flash memory and DRAM technologies.

For further information, please visit: www.solidstatedisks.com

SSDL to Design ESDI Solid-State Drives for EDF Energy’s Heysham 2 Nuclear Power Station

Reading, United Kingdom-Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL), the advanced storage systems design, development and integration specialist, has won a contract from EDF Energy to design and supply solid-state swap-in replacements for a number of obsolete CDC 182MB Wren hard disk drives. These will replace drives currently used in a Bull DPS6 computer at the company’s Heysham 2 nuclear power station on the northwest coast of England, and spare EDF energy from the considerable expense of replacing the host system.

The original Wren drives interface with the host system using the legacy American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Enhanced Small Disk Interface (ESDI) standard X3.170, which was popular in the late 1980s. SSDL will design a solid-state, flash-based drive that will be configured to emulate the behaviour of the original drive and communicate with the Bull DPS6 through ESDI. No changes will need to be made to the computer.

“ESDI had a relatively short life as an interface, as it had no sooner been standardised than it was superseded by ANSI’s Small Computer Systems Interface, SCSI,” explains James Hilken, Sales Director of SSDL. “In the past, we have supplied many solid-state replacements for SCSI-based drives, and still do, but in this instance we’re going to design an ESDI-based drive to meet EDF Energy’s immediate requirements.”

SSDL plans to base its new design on elements from its popular SCSI Flash (SF-2) and Floppy Flash (FF-1) products and will be designing new hardware (printed circuit board, PCB), firmware (in a field programmable gate array, FPGA) and software.

Hilken concludes: “There are essentially two halves to our emulator solutions, the solid-state Compact Flash part and a communication bridge. SCSIFlash is the bridge in our SCSI-based products, and the work ahead will effectively result in a new ESDIFlash bridge, which will then enable us to make available emulators for anyone else in need of replacing their obsolete ESDI-based drives.”

In addition to extending the life of its Bull DPS6, EDF Energy will also benefit from the high reliability of solid-state memory technology. Unlike a hard disk drive, there are no moving parts. Also, power consumption and heat generated are lower.

About SSDL

Established in 1989, Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL) is the industrial division of the Reactive Group of companies and specialises in the design, development and integration of advanced storage systems for mil/aero, commercial and industrial applications as well as the distribution of solid-state Flash memory and DRAM technologies.

For further information, please visit: www.solidstatedisks.com

SSDL to Develop SCSI Solid-State Replacement Drives for Leading Semiconductor Fabricator’s Process Equipment

Reading, United Kingdom –Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL), the advanced storage systems design, development and integration specialist, has won a contract to replace the hard disk drives in process equipment operated by a leading semiconductor manufacturer. The legacy drives, which have SCSI interfaces, reside in canisters within DEC BA353-AA and DEC BA356-KC towers, which originally were housed in three and six canisters, respectively.

As a minimum, the project will see SSDL replacing the HDDs with its highly reliable, CompactFlash (CF) based CF2SCSI™ SCSIFlash™ drives, which have already been evaluated by the customer on test beds and been subjected to live network testing. The interface to the host system’s SCSI connections will be accommodated using the SCSIFlash SSD drive, which supports CF drives up to 256GB and utilizes a 3.5 or 5.25-inch form factor.

“By combining SCSI and CompactFlash technologies, our SCSIFlash drive future-proofs computer-based legacy equipment that depends on worn out and obsolete SCSI drives for which replacements and spare parts are scarce,” said James Hilken, Sales Director of SSDL.

However, as the canisters and towers are also original equipment, and showing signs of wear, once the project commences it might be decided to replace the towers with solid-state solutions in either a rack or a new tower as at least another 10 years of service will be required of them.

“As the drives in legacy systems age and their electro-mechanical components fail, it is becoming increasingly difficult to replace or repair them as replacement drives and spare parts simply may not be available,” continues Hilken. “Sourcing second-hand units to cannibalize doesn’t really provide a lasting or safe solution either. In contrast, using the SCSI Solid State Drive and Industrial CompactFlash technology to replace them provides a low-cost, fast and efficient solution that increases reliability and reduces unplanned downtime due to its solid state, non-moving part design.”

Hilken concludes by saying the replacement of just the drives represents the quick fix solution, but it doesn’t necessarily guarantee overall long-term reliability because of the age of the canisters and towers into which the drives will be placed. “We have a strong partnering philosophy and always align ourselves with our customers’ longer-term objectives, so biting the bullet and switching to solid-state towers may prove to be the best option.”

Aerospace Manufacturing Magazine: The Age of Information

In a Q&A session, Solid State Disks’ Sales Director, James Hilken looks at the latest trends and demands surrounding the areas of memory and storage and what the sector needs to consider when designing and developing new systems.

Click here for link

Solid State Disks Ltd achieves 25th year of ISO with new ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Standards Certification

Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL), part of the Reactive Group of companies, which includes Arraid LLC, Phoenix USA, is proud to announce the achievement of the new standards ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Standard Certification.

Reactive Group were first issued ISO9001 in 1993. We are proud that this is our 25th year of ISO certification.

ISO 9001 is the world's most widely recognised Quality Management System and helps organisations to meet the expectations and needs of their customers. The newest update was revised to ensure the standard continues to serve the business community and maintains its relevance in today’s market place.

By meeting the rigorous criteria for this standard, Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL) reaffirms its ability to consistently deliver an effective quality management system and drive continuous improvements to its internal processes to provide the best products and services to all of its customers and partners.

This certification is a testament to our strong focus on quality and a central part of our continuous improvement culture. By meeting the criteria to the revised standard on our first attempt, the Company has once again demonstrated its commitment to our customers and to our quality processes.

UK Semiconductor Top Table Event

SSDL are a Supplier Table Top Exhibitor at Newport Wafer Fab on Thursday 3rd May. The event is Run by Techworks and NMI.

This event has a focus on supporting the established Semiconductor Manufacturing and Electronic Systems manufacturing communities facilitating activity such as knowledge exchange, increased productivity, cost reduction, quality improvement and a dedicated Supplier forum.

In addition the event and focus is to support the wide range of Chip Design and Systems developers looking to form new activities and groups tackling latest design challenges in both Hardware and Software.

A dedicated Quality and Reliability activity will also be supporting those facing challenges of assuring complex electronic systems in demanding environments.

Contact Iain Hamilton at SSDL for further details of the event +44 1189 323499.

SSDL Exhibiting at DPRTE 2018

We will be exhibiting at DPRTE on the 27th March at Motor Point Arena, Cardiff.

This annual event brings together the defense procurement and supply chain community under one roof.

Please do come and visit us on stand 51 to discuss your industrial memory and storage requirements.

DPRTE 2018 Exhibition web site link here

SSDL will be showcasing our SCSIFlash Drive in addition our franchised flash solutions partners who serve the Military and Industrial markets.

Innodisk Looking Towards the Future of Industrial IoT - Embedded World 2018

Innodisk is presenting new industrial 3D NAND solutions, heavy-duty CANbus and top-speed Industrial-grade DRAM at Embedded World - Nuremberg, Germany – February 27, 2018

Innodisk is attending Embedded World from February 27 to March 1 to showcase the newest storage, memory and software innovations aimed at accelerating interconnectivity in the embedded and industrial market.

3D NAND to Address Future Market Demands
With higher capacities and extended longevity, 3D NAND holds great promise for the embedded and industrial market. According to Innodisk’s Senior Director of Flash, Charles Lee, 2018 will see a distinct increase in demand following the trends of IoT and Industry 4.0. To meet these demands, Innodisk has launched the all-new 3MG5-P 3D NAND SSD series. Innodisk is showcasing this new series along with other flash storage innovations at Embedded World 2018.

Durable In-Vehicle Expansions
CANbus is a true and tested method for in-vehicle networking. Innodisk’s CANbus expansion card is also compliant with the J1939 standard, making it suitable for heavy-duty applications while also allowing for a high degree of customization. Stable performance and lasting durability make this module a perfect fit for fleet management applications. Innodisk’s booth at Embedded World is displaying a live demo simulating a vehicle dashboard to show the functionalities of the J1939 CANbus module.

The Fastest Industrial-grade DRAM
Innodisk’s 2666 MT/s DRAM series is currently the fastest industrial-grade DRAM available on the market. These blazing fast modules are designed for labor-intensive server use but are equally suitable for casino gaming, automation and surveillance applications. The modules also consume less power than previous generations and use only high-quality Original ICs.

Innodisk’s Newest Solutions
Innodisk is also launching two new NVMe SSD series. OCuLinkDOM™ is an ultra-small form factor that uses the OCuLink interface and is designed for server boot-up applications. The other is the new high-performance M.2 series, which is available in both 2 and 4 lane PCIe 3.0. To handle the increasing number of edge devices and the growth of IoT, Innodisk has designed iCAP™ to easily manage storage devices through the cloud. This essentially allows for fewer operators to monitor the rapidly growing number of devices.