OCZ Launches HSDL SSD Interface For Mind Blowing Theoretical Speeds

[FiXT]

OCZ Technology has unveiled a proprietary interface called "High-Speed Data Link" (HSDL) to accelerate the progression of solid-state storage. Unsatisfied with existing interface options, OCZ developed HSDL to eliminate I/O bottlenecks and enable SSD technology to operate at its full potential. With this initiative, OCZ aims to enhance high perform... [ Read full article ]

[BootlegUsher]

Sorry, how does this connect to your computer? Or is this something motherboards will be built with in the future?

[Zero82z]

Originally Posted by BootlegUsher

Sorry, how does this connect to your computer? Or is this something motherboards will be built with in the future?

I'm guessing you'll need a PCI-E or PCI add-on card at first. Whether or not this technology will ever make it onto motherboards is anyone's guess right now.

[YoungMan]

Bleh, proprietary interface? Lame.

[someguyfromhell]

Originally Posted by YoungMan

Bleh, proprietary interface? Lame.

It's not a proprietary interface.

The HSDL standard is completely open. OCZ tells me that there’s no licensing fees and all companies are completely free to implement it. In fact, that’s what OCZ would like to see happen. Currently the only way to get the HSDL spec is to contact OCZ and request it but the company is apparently working on setting something up a little more open. At the end of the day OCZ still wants to make money selling SSDs. HSDL’s success would simply let the company sell more expensive SSDs. HSDL sounds like a simple solution to the problem of delivering more interface bandwidth to SSDs. The interface should scale well since it’s built on PCIe, it’s just a matter of whether or not companies will support it. I believe it’s at least worth a try.

[YoungMan]

Well, it said proprietary interface right at the beginning of the article.

[gimark]

This sounds like potential. Although it will be a while before a lay person will see this in a pc.

[Bao]

The drives will be bundled with the single drive controller. And while it would be cool to sell these, I really don't see the obvious benefit over any other mainstream performance drive for less money at the moment. :o

[AkG]

IF (and it is a BIG 'if') this tech does A) work and B) finds wide mainstream acceptance it may be a good long term solution. We could see within two gens SSDs saturating sata 6gb/s (albeit only on sequential) so a step like this IS going to be needed soon. But it is a huge risk, so whether or not it becomes "the" solution or not you can have to applaud OCZ for at least TRYING!

The reason an ultra fat pipe like this bad boy will have doesnt help all that much now and probably wont for the next gen (outside of internal RAID 0 setups) is because the SSD controllers themselves are designed with SATA in mind. IF the mfg'er can all of sudden be handed a down right HUGE pipe and told (by their customers and in turn consumers) to "FILL IT" it will be a huge leap forward. We could conceivably see not only a sequential "great leap forward" but a huge leap on the low end. I say this as unlike SATA this bad boy has been designed with SUPER high I/O demands in mind. I honestly hope that if its indeed open source and not proprietary that it gains traction, and if this one doesn't SOMETHING does! SATA as it stands today is NOT the future. The governing body is too slow and too rigid to adapt to the new reality of SSDs. We will need something, and we need it sooner rather than later.

Personally I say: Bring it on OCZ! Prove that you are still the innovator you were when you took a risk on an relatively unknown company & helped nurture Indilinx to market!

[sswilson]

Now if only they could get trim to work..... ;)

The idea behind it is great, and in all honesty I can see folks going for this if they're looking for a plug/play solution to avoid the vagarities of SSD support on motherboards.