From X-bit Labs: OCZ Storage Solutions has introduced its all-new high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) with PCI Express interface for enterprise-class computing. The new Z-Drive 4500 series delivers even higher performance in comparison to OCZ’s Z-Drive R4 Series, leverages 19nm MLC NAND flash, and features a more robust architectural design covering 800GB, 1.6TB and 3.2TB usable capacities.
OCZ Z-Drive 4500 series is powered by OCZ’s proprietary virtualized controller architecture (VCA) and LSI SandForce SF-2582 controllers. The drives feature 128-bit AES encryption, power loss data protection that protects in-flight write operations in the event of a sudden power failure as well as end-to-end data path protection that performs data integrity checks at every data juncture ensuring that corrupted data is detected and not propagated.
Based on SNIA test methodologies, the series delivers industry-leading sustained performance for MLC-based PCIe edge cards including maximum read bandwidth of up to 2900MB/s, maximum write bandwidth of up to 2200MB/s, random 4K block read throughput of up to 252000 input/output operations per second (IOPS) and random 4K block write throughput of up to 76000 IOPS.
“Our new Z-Drive 4500 Series represents a consistency with our enterprise strategy as we continue to refine and introduce new products across key interfaces like PCIe using the latest NAND flash process geometry and architectural changes that enable a more efficient design,” said Daryl Lang, senior vice president of product management for OCZ Storage Solutions.
Each model within the Z-Drive 4500 series is integrated with OCZ’s new Windows Accelerator (WXL) software, a flash management and caching solution for Microsoft Windows Server applications also announced by the company today. WXL software enables IT managers to deliver low-latency flash deployable as a local flash volume, a flash cache for HDD volumes or as a combination of both.
“By integrating our new WXL Software into the Z-Drive 4500 platform, we are delivering a complete acceleration, caching and flash management solution to the enterprise PCIe storage market with advanced capabilities and a robust architecture as well,” said Mr. Lang.
When deployed for caching, WXL Software performs statistical ‘out-of-band’ processing to intelligently cache the most frequently accessed data on Z-Drive 4500 flash. A cache warm-up and analysis mechanism is also featured enabling important and demanding analytical jobs to be loaded onto the Z-Drive 4500’s flash cache in advance to assure that this critical data is available to the application at the exact time it is needed.
For flash-based virtualization, the Z-Drive 4500 Series works in conjunction with OCZ’s VXL virtualization software distributing flash cache resources on-demand across virtual machines (VMs) to accelerate application performance. It distributes the flash between VMs based on need making sure that no VM inefficiently occupies flash when it could be better used elsewhere in the environment. As a result, the Z-Drive 4500’s flash cache is optimally utilized at all times regardless of how many VMs are running concurrently, data traffic to and from the SAN is reduced, and critical data is locally available in the Z-Drive 4500 card for immediate use by VMs.
The new Z-Drive 4500 PCIe edge cards advance the Z-Drive Series feature-set by supporting higher performance and a more robust architecture that delivers OCZ’s most advanced PCIe SSD series to date. Designed in a full-height/half-length (FHHL) format the available MLC models include 800GB capacity, 1.6TB capacity, and 3.2TB capacity. All drives come backed with a 5 year warranty.
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