Paper Title: Computational Storage: Compelling Usecases Now and in the Future

Paper Abstract: Computational Storage Devices have been deployed widely in usecases where context about the data is not needed. Low latency compression is a good example of an offload requiring little to no context. The result is excellent data reduction at very high performance with low CPU utilization on the controllers. RAID or Erasure Code acceleration is another example of assists that can be done without knowing much about the data. There are some other intriguing Storage Controller functions that can be offloaded at a block level with little metadata information. With some information about the data, the potential for offload is extremely interesting. Even with high performance SSDs, the amount of bandwidth that can be read and fed into controllers or applications is a fraction of the NAND read bandwidth available. Therefore, scanning, search, filtering engines can be run in line or in the background providing an efficient use of precious storage network bandwidth. This talk will discuss these and future accelerators that make the use of CSDs very compelling. Come listen to a well-known expert in the field of high performance storage discuss the future of computational storage inside SSDs.

Paper Author: Andrew Walls, IBM Fellow, CTO FlashSystem, IBM

Author Bio: Andy Walls is Chief Architect and CTO for IBM’s Flash Systems. He is also an IBM Fellow, IBM’s most prestigious Honor. Andy is a pioneer in enabling MLC, TLC and QLC flash into the enterprise and has shaped the IBM storage portfolio to be highly differentiated and popular. He was responsible for the Texas Memory Acquisition and defined the architecture for the very popular Flash System 840 and 900 as well as Flash Core modules. He leads the architecture and definition of the Entire FlashSystems end to end NVMe product portfolio including FS 5200, 7300, 9500. He is defining next generation products that can be used in Hybrid Cloud environments. Known as an innovator, he has applied for or filed over 150 patents. Andy has worked for IBM his entire 40-year career. He has presented at the Flash Memory Summit for well over a decade.