SSD Controller

1.44MB to 16TB from a single controller

Controller

Overview

In 2012 PaxDisk announced the world's first 2TB SSD on a controller of its own design, and signed an SSD patent agreement with SK hynix the same year. That controller lineage carries the entire defense SSD line-up we ship today.

A single controller architecture covers capacities from 1.44MB to 16TB and supports media from SLC through 3D NAND and STT-MRAM. We design the interface layer, the firmware (FTL) and the ECC ourselves, so a component going end-of-life does not break long-term supply, and a platform-specific requirement can be built rather than worked around.

Controller, interface and error correction held by one company: that vertical integration is the basis of the supply-chain assurance a defense programme has to demonstrate.

Headline specifications — the full specification table follows an NDA
Capacity range1.44MB – 16TB (single controller)
NANDSLC · MLC · TLC · 3D NAND · STT-MRAM
HistoryWorld's first 2TB SSD (2012) · SSD patent agreement with SK hynix

Architecture

Architecture

SSD controller concept block diagram — host interface (SATA, PATA, SCSI) to command handling and firmware (FTL), DMA and buffer management, ECC engine (in-house BCH IP), multi-channel NAND controller and the NAND array.

Deliverables

Included with a licence

  • Synthesisable Verilog RTL and integration wrappers
  • Cycle-accurate reference model and equivalence checker
  • Full-chain testbench (clean / correct / UE / pad vectors)
  • Datasheet, manual and integration guide (released under NDA)

Verification toolchains: Intel/Altera (Quartus) · AMD/Xilinx (Vivado) · ASIC — process-portable RTL

Engagement

How we engage

01

IP licence

Licence the verified IP as it stands. Synthesisable RTL, the verification environment and an integration guide come with it.

02

Custom development

The IP is modified or extended to your requirement. Because we design from the interface layer up, unusual requirements can be accommodated.

03

Co-development & national programmes

Joint silicon and firmware development against platform requirements, including participation in national R&D programmes. Scope and terms are agreed case by case.