Paper Title: Using SSD Performance Numbers Effectively

Paper Abstract: Most engineers look at the performance numbers first when examining an SSD datasheet. But what do those numbers actually mean in practice? Many practioners are not aware that read- and write-, sequential- and random-performance in MB/s and IOPS vary over the drive's lifetime and over the time of transfers. The issue is to determine what factors and mechanisms influence performance, e.g., why sequential write performance decreases down to the random performance in steady-state and why the time needed for garbage collection on the flash memory dominates this number. While IOPS are usually a good indicator of performance, they do not tell the whole story without the maximum response time. For example, despite the decreased write speed to 3D TLC flash memory, compensation with pSLC buffers is an adequate solution until the drive reaches close to its maximum storage capacity.

Paper Author: Jan Peter Berns, Managing Director, Hyperstone

Author Bio: