Paper Title: Transforming an SSD into a Cost-Effective Edge Server

Paper Abstract: Any architecture that combines processing, memory, and connectivity can act as a server. So simply adding a low-cost processor and a standard Ethernet connection to an SSD can produce a cost-effective edge server. Enabling Linux to run on the drive controller itself reduces power consumption, system complexity, and cost even further and allows for many new applications. Such applications can integrate Linux open-source protocols on the same processor that manages the drive's front-end and FTL capabilities. The protocols can quickly enable open source NVMe-oF, object storage, or database applications on the drive, reducing latencies and data transfers. This approach can also deliver custom Linux applications, running in a protected virtual machine, to efficiently and rapidly search or process data on the drive and collect and distribute content over Ethernet. There are several ways to transform an SSD design into an effective server, and the ARM software ecosystem can enable the various applications.

Paper Author: Neil Werdmuller, Director, Storage Solutions, Arm Holdings

Author Bio: Neil Werdmuller is a Director at Arm leading the Storage Solutions Team, where he is responsible for product management and relationships with ARM storage partners globally. He was previously Senior Product Manager for the Cortex-R series of real-time processors and solutions. Before joining Arm , he was responsible for the Strategic Sourcing and IP Management in the Wireless Connectivity Business Unit at Texas Instruments. He has more than 25 years of experience in embedded markets. He earned a BSc in Computer Science from Portsmouth University (UK).