A Hybrid Approach For SSD Speed From Your 2TB HDD

Claave writes "bit-tech.net reports that SilverStone has announced a device that daisy-chains an SSD with a hard disk, with the aim of providing SSD speeds plus loads of storage space. The SilverStone HDDBoost is a hard disk caddy with an integrated storage controller, and is an easy upgrade for your PC. The device copies the 'front-end' of your hard disk to the SSD, and tells your OS to prefer the SSD when possible. SSD speeds for a 2TB storage device? Yep, sounds good to me!"

Comments

Just a cache?

[Erich]

Haven't disk manufacturers been doing this forever, using faster memories to cache disk? I guess the difference now is that the memory is slower than DRAM and non-volatile so it isn't lost in the event of power failure? Or maybe you can get more flash storage at a low price point?

Re:Save your money...

[TheRaven64]

Or, you can just use ZFS and turn on the L2ARC, which will use the SSD as a cache for the hard disks and not need any custom hardware.

Pick the false statement

[sakdoctor]

No software or driver update is required

Some software is needed to achieve the magic

Re:Pick the false statement

[Seth Kriticos]

They are a bit confusing. The manual ( http://www.silverstonetek.com/downloads/Manual/storage/Multi-HDDBOOST-Manual.pdf ) though says, that the HDD has to be de-fragmented before usage. They don't mention other software, though they mention Windows here and there. The manual states though, that any OS supporting SATA will do.

(It's a Windows pussy thing again, you can freely ignore it).

You mean like in...

[kungfuj35u5]

ZFS? Hybrid storage pools have been around for a long while, and exist as a pretty well balanced software solution to this problem. Hybrid solid-state/magnetic disks were in the market as well which used a similar technique. There is nothing new or impressive about this device.

Re:What 2TB HD?

[NitroWolf]

This adapter is for 2.5" hard drives - if you put a 3.5 drive in it, you wouldn't fit drive+adapter+SSD into a 3.5" bay. Who makes a 2TB 2.5" SATA drive currently? I am not aware of any...

Seriously... did not one read the article? You mount the fucking 2.5" drive in the caddy and mount your 3.5" HD where you would normally mount it and run a fucking cable from your HD to the caddy. Is this so fucking hard to get a grasp on? For christs sake.

Re:2.5" drives only

[Cocoronixx]

Read it again and look at the pictures. The caddy is the size of a 3.5" drive, in which you install a 2.5" SSD. That is what they mean by a "2.5in to 3.5in hard disk caddy".

AGAIN!? How dare you accuse me of reading TFA. Are you trying to ruin my /. cred?

RTMFA already

[Weaselmancer]

They even have a fucking picture.

The 2.5 caddy is for your SSD. Mount your 3.5 wherever you like.

Re:Save your money...

[Anonymous Coward]

USB drives speeds are in the 20-30 MB/s. SSD drives are 150-250 MB/s. Conventional HDDs are 50-100 MB/s

Breakthrough

[thethibs]

Good Grief, Alice! They've invented cache!