Latest Test and Measurement News

Test of SSD Flexible Data Placement Mode

08 August 2023 – Teledyne LeCroy released the SVF/Enduro v5.3 software with support for testing Flexible Data Placement (FDP), which enables SSD suppliers to verify performance and compliance for their state-of-the-art NVMe storage devices. Today, solid-state drives (SSDs) struggle with write amplification and power conservation. Flexible Data Placement Mode represents a significant innovation from key Open Compute Project (OCP) members in addressing these issues which should enable significant quality of service (QOS) and total cost of ownership (TCO) benefits compared to today’s SSDs.

Implementing and testing FDP is not a trivial endeavor. FDP creates a whole new command set. It moves the responsibility of data placement away from the Drive controller to the Host application. If FDP is not implemented correctly, it could result in critical data loss and performance issues. Without the right test equipment, it is impossible to know that the drive is correctly implementing FDP. Drive developers need a method to test that FDP commands are compliant, and that data is being moved appropriately.

SVF/Enduro v5.3 now offers FPD command set test capability from the OakGate test appliance through three options – exerciser, directed tests, and automation, adding to a broad range of capabilities including:

• deep protocol inspection and analysis,
• high performance traffic generation,
• full performance characterization,
• complex error injection,
• advanced test automation and power cycling,
• and an open Application programming interface (API) that allows easy integration into existing test infrastructure.

The SVF/Enduro v5.3 is the latest release in a line of OakGate fifth-generation software that has been hardened over a decade in intense test environments at major storage customer sites worldwide. In addition to flexible data placement, v5.3 includes a plethora of new features including:

• Integration with the Teledyne LeCroy Summit PCIe Analyzers allowing users to trigger the PCIe Analyzer from the OakGate Appliance for in-depth debugging
• Additional NVMe v2.0 and NVMe MI v1.2 features and enhancements
• Fully integrated power and sideband features which eliminates the need for 3rd-party power interposers
• More UNH/IOL directed tests for test teams who like simple push button compliance testing

“The functionality of our industry leading SSD test and validation solutions continues to advance at a rapid pace,” says Roy Chestnut, VP Products. “With this latest version of our software, we are again improving the overall performance of our core software and incorporating many new features requested by our fast-growing customer base.”

https://teledynelecroy.com/