Marvell Announces 88SS1093 NVMe SSD NAND Controller — Up To 4GB/s Interface To Host

Marvell Technology Group, Ltd., a leading producer of NAND flash memory controllers and other semiconductor devices, is announcing the 88SS1093 — its first Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) solid-state drive (SSD)  controller.  The flash-optimized architecture of the 88SS1093 overcomes SAS/SATA performance bottlenecks by optimizing the hardware and software to take full advantage of the NAND’s capabilities.  The 88SS1093 also features Marvell’s 3rd generation NANDEdge(TM) error detection and correction, low-density parity check (LDCP) technology to increase reliability and endurance.

With support for up to four lanes of PCIe 3.0, the 88SS1093 controller can take advantage of full 4GB/s or 2GB/s end points (depending on host system configuration), and offers unparalleled IOPS performance by using NVMe advanced Command Handling.  To be able to fully maximize the high-speed PCIe interface, Marvell’s innovation with its NVM Express design enables enhanced PCIe link data flow by utilizing massive hardware automation with no compromises.  Marvell is of the opinion that this highly efficient data flow management will alleviate traditional host control limitations, and can unleash flash’s true performance potential.

According to Weili Dai, President and Co-Founder of Marvell, “As the global leader of the storage industry, we are very proud of our innovation, invention, and contribution to the advancement of a wide range of storage technologies and products.  I am very excited to see that our new SSD controller solution has once again raised the technology bar with superior performance, high reliability and robust security.  I am very proud of our close collaboration with leading tier one OEM and ODM partners around the world in enabling the rapid growth of the SSD market from client devices to data centers and enterprise systems.  At Marvell, it is our pride and long term commitment to drive innovation to better lives for all in the new era of  ‘Smart Life and Smart Lifestyle’.”

Marvell’s 3rd generation NANDEdge error detection and correction, low-density parity check (LDCP) technology supports 15nm TLC and 3D NAND, resulting in a lower enabling cost for the use of TLC and 3D NAND.  With Marvell utilizing a single code for NANDEdge, SSD firmware developers are able to quickly integrate one code to the other for superior error-correcting technology, and to enhance data integrity, endurance and reliability,

Key features of the Marvell 88SS1093 NAND controller include:

• Fully hardware automated NVMe 1.1 support
• Command overlay and out-of-order data return to deliver the full potential of NAND
• Hardware automation on command fetch and status return
• 15nm TLC/MLC/SLC and 3D NAND support with Marvell NANDEdge(TM) LDPC error correction control and management
• Advanced Tri-core CPU architecture to support high performance requirements
• SRIS capabilities to support SATA Express running PCIe 3.0 speed for the first time
• Up to 2TB support
• M.2/2.5 slim form factor support with thermal optimization and small package size
• New low-power management (L1.2) design
• Advanced 28nm CMOS process

Marvell’s NVMe design has successfully completed in-house SSD validation, and 3rd party operating system and platform compatibility tests.  The 88SS1093 is presently sampling with select customers.  Marvell foresees its NVMe SSD controllers as an ideal solution for the next generation of high-performance client SSDs, as well as today’s hyperscale data center applications.

The Marvell press release announcing the 88SS1093 NVMe controller can be viewed in its entirety here.  The 88SS1093 product page can be viewed here.