Paper Title: Enterprise QLC, Optimized

Paper Abstract: Enterprise storage using NAND flash has been slow to adopt QLC due to the performance and reliability challenges. IBM has successfully delivered QLC into the enterprise storage industry with two generations of FlashCore Module (FCM). This presentation is meant to discuss some of the challenges of using QLC in the enterprise and how IBM has overcome these challenges in our FCM SSDs. The presentation will also highlight some of the benefits of QLC NAND flash for cost and capacity. Also included are differentiations that set the FCM apart from other enterprise SSDs, including the use of in-line, at speed HW Compression, intelligent workload forecasting, and IP that allows FCM to achieve QLC endurance that is close to TLC. The result is a unique and highly differentiated NVMe QLC SSD with TLC-like performance and reliability, that utilizes computational storage before the term was coined. Finally, the material aims to tie in our current use of FCM as a computational storage device (CSD) and provide examples of how this product could allow for additional computation using the FPGA based controller and high-speed embedded processors contained within the FPGA.

Paper Author: Timothy Fisher, Flash Controller HW Lead, IBM

Author Bio: Tim is the Chief Architect and Design Lead for the for IBM FlashCore Module (FCM). Tim started his career in storage at Texas Memory Systems (TMS) in 2007 where he was a flash controller designer for one of the first ever Enterprise All Flash Arrays (AFA), the RamSan-500. Tim has continued his career in flash controller design to the present date with IBM (acquired TMS in 2012), and has lead enterprise SSD designs for SLC, MLC, TLC, and QLC NAND Flash technology. He is an inventor on over 50 patents related to storage innovation.