New Device Puts SSD In a DIMM Slot

Vigile points out a new take on SSD from Viking Modular Solutions. The SATADIMM puts an SSD in the form factor of a memory module. "The unit itself actually uses a SandForce SSD controller and draws its power from the DIMM socket directly but still connects to the computer through a SATA connection — nothing fancy like using the memory bus, etc. Performance is actually identical to other SandForce-based SSDs though the benefits for 1U servers and motherboards with dozens of DIMM slots is interesting to say the least. Likely priced outside the realm for average consumers, the SATADIMM will likely stay put in the enterprise market but represents an indicator that companies are realizing SSDs don't need to be in traditional HDD form factors."

Comments

I suppose the real question here is...

[pwnies]

Why? If it's only drawing power from the DIMM slot, what benefit does that serve? Sure, in a 1U rack it *might* save a trivial amount of space. I just dont see a market for it.

Re:I suppose the real question here is...

[Monkeedude1212]

Sure, in a 1U rack it *might* save a trivial amount of space. I just dont see a market for it.

If there's anything I've learned from calculus - it's that a whole lot of trivial values can add up to something significant.

Re:I suppose the real question here is...

[pushing-robot]

I guess it would be a quick way to add storage to a server that has a bunch of unused memory sockets. And the design uses off-the-shelf components which is always nice.

But there was getting to be a need for a proper SSD package, as sticking them inside HDD housings was both limiting and an inefficient use of space. Viking's solution probably won't take off, though, since Apple/PhotoFast/Toshiba just stole their thunder.

Re:I suppose the real question here is...

[sjames]

You know, there are many decaffeinated coffees on the market that are nearly as good as regular coffee without all the jitters....You should drown yourself in a vat of it.

Speedy servers

[$RANDOMLUSER]

Certainly putting things like swap space and database journal files on SSD would speed things up wonderfully, but how about an OS hack where an SSD drive is a sort of L3 cache between core and traditional disk for dirty disk buffers? Also, I'm wondering about the power requirements between SSD and DIMM RAM.

Re:Speedy servers

[m.dillon]

Not sure I would call it an OS hack but DragonFly has precisely that, called swapcache. Swapcache Manual Page. It isn't so much making standard paging work better (systems rarely have to 'page' these days) but instead its ability to cache clean data and meta-data from the much larger terrabyte+ hard drive that makes the difference. Anyone who has more than a few hundred thousand files to contend with will know what I mean. -Matt

Mini Options!

[Falc0n]

Actually I find this potentially quite cool. Not as much for the power source, but the size. Since most mATX boards don't come with mini PCIe slots, if you want to use an SSD drive you need a 2.5" drive or a PCIe card with a mini-slot on it. Both are much larger than a DIMM option.

And with 50gb, this would be very useful in a media box streaming from a server. Now only if the price could come down.

Useless with virtualization?

[ferrocene]

This device seems backwards with today's trends. With virtualizaion gaining ground fast, the ideal setup is to have as much RAM as possible with a SAN back end for storage - iSCSI, FC, whatever. Most local disks on servers today are RAID1 mirrors for the small hypervisor.

So, yes, this device wastes a valuable DIMM slot to give you a less-valuable SATA drive?

I can't think of any scenario where this would be useful unless you're talking about handheld devices - a MacBook Air or tablet of some sort.