New technology will allow the use of MLC flash for server SSD

Based in Ceratog (California), SandForce startup announced the development of a new controller that allows it to use multi-level cell-per-write (MLC) flash memory to create highly reliable SSDs. This makes it possible to drastically reduce the price of SSD for servers in which, due to problems with reliability and speed, only the more expensive SLC flash memory is used in which one cell can store only one bit of information.
In addition, the use of innovative (the company has documents for 20 patents) reading and writing algorithms has dramatically reduced the amount of "hidden" memory - inaccessible to the user blocks, which are used to improve reliability. Now for every 50 GB of server SSD, there are about 14 GB of “hidden” memory.

Analysts of Storage Strategies Now expect that the new technology will allow a breakthrough in a very promising but still small solid-state memory market, reducing the SSD price for servers by 66%. Perhaps the emergence of new controllers will help make solid-state hard drives massive.
Despite the huge competition (there are more than 70 companies developing SSDs on the market, including the giants Intel, Samsung and TSMC), SandForce hopes to get its own piece of sweet cake (10 million SSDs for servers are expected to be sold in 2012).

Based on EETimes