Click here to learn
about this Sponsor:
Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Polls  |  Forum

Keywords: Match:
2.5-inch flash drive holds 461 GB
Sep. 12, 2007

If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford one. That statement likely applies to Bitmicro's new E-Disk Altima E2A3GL, which crams up to 461 GB of flash memory into a standard 2.5-inch hard drive form-factor, and which targets military and industrial applications.

According to the company, this solid state disk (SSD) has a standard Serial ATA (SATA) interface, and is operating system independent. Completely bootable, it requires no special device drivers.

At a time when 16 GB flash cards are still considered novel, Bitmicro uses high-density single level cell (SLC) NAND flash memory chips to achieve the 416 GB maximum capacity. Smaller capacities are also available, ranging from 288 GB all the way down to 4 GB.

Supporting operating temperatures ranging from -40 to +85 degrees Celsius, the E-Disk Altima offers a claimed 300 MB/sec burst data transfer rate, with up to 100 MB/sec sustained reads and writes. The drive is further said to be capable of up to 20,000 random I/O operations per second.

Bitmicro also says it has alleviated concerns about wear, thanks to advanced data-writing algorithms. The drive is said to offer ten years of data integrity, an MTBF better than 1.9 million hours, and unlimited read endurance.

Write endurance is not infinite, but likely "sufficient," as Rolls-Royce used to say about its horsepower. While the company does not publish this specification for the 461 GB E-Disk Altima, a 32 GB version is rated for 1,315 years of 100 GB/day erase/write cycles.

Published specifications for the E-Disk Altima include:
  • Performance:
    • Access time -- 30 to 100 microseconds
    • Burst transfer rate -- 300 MB/sec.
    • Sustained transfer rate -- up to 100 MB/sec.
    • I/O operations per second -- Up to 20,000
  • Environmental specifications:
    • Operating temperature 0-70 degrees C ("commercial" range), -40 to +85 degrees C ("industrial" range)
    • Shock (operating) -- 1,250 G
    • Vibration (operating) -- 16.4 G rms
  • Reliability:
    • MTBF -- 1.9 million hours, minimum
    • Error correction -- corrects up to 9 random bit errors per 528-byte block
    • Data integrity -- up to ten years
    • Read endurance -- unlimited
  • Physical specifications:
    • Form-factor -- 2.5-inch HDD
    • Dimensions -- 2.75 x 3.95 x 0.93 inches (69.85 x 100.45 x 23.55 mm) maximum, storage capacities 64 GB and below are 0.33 inches thick
    • Weight -- 2.9 to 7.8 ounces (83 to 221 grams)
The drive targets military and industrial applications, in which, according to Bitmicro CMO Rudy Bruce, "high disk capacities equate to longer hours, even days, of non-stop operation. Just like enterprise users, these markets desire continually increasing drive capacities to meet exponential growth in their storage requirements."

The company says it will begin sampling the drive in the first quarter of 2008, and shipping by March. Pricing, as we hinted above, was not released.



Related Stories:


(Click here for further information)


FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.

Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.

Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.

Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.

High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.

Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.

Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.

Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.

7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.

 


Got a HOT tip?   please tell us!
Free weekly newsletter
Enter your email...
Click here for a profile of each sponsor:
PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
(Become a sponsor)

ADVERTISEMENT
(Advertise here)

Check out the latest Linux powered...

mobile phones!

other cool
gadgets



BREAKING NEWS

• First ALP Linux smartphone?
• First Atom-based nano-ITX board?
• New kernel boosts embedded
• First dual-monitor LTSP 5 set-up?
• Understanding Unix spells and curses
• Tools vendor touts low-cost Linux BSPs
• Debugger supports multi-core MIP64 chips
• Webinars tackle VxWorks-to-Linux ports
• Twin POS systems for Linux
• Mobile Firefox ready for download
• Miguel de Icaza on Mono 2.0
• Embedded Linux declining?
• Mobile WiMAX service launches in U.S.
• Euro Linux device conference announces speakers
• POS stack targets Linux netbooks


Most popular stories -- past 90 days:
• Open source phone goes mass-market
• Tinest Linux system, yet?
• Garmin Nav devices run Gnome Linux
• ARM9 board boots Debian in 0.69 seconds
• Low-cost laptop runs Linpus Linux
• Linux-friendly Beagle fetches $150
• Mini Linux PC breaks $100 barrier
• Open source camera records geotagged video to SATA HDD
• Open set-top box ships
• First $100 laptop runs Linux


DesktopLinux headlines:
• Mandriva 2009 debuts with KDE 4 desktop
• Debian Sid-based distro reviewed
• Miguel de Icaza on Mono 2.0
• RIP LinuxWorld
• Testers sought for Blackberry-Linux sync software
• Google updates photo editor for Linux
• Major Mono rev ships
• Intrepid Ibex beta-tests
• Linux netbook returns higher?
• Open-source image editing project launches


Also visit our sister site:


Sign up for LinuxDevices.com's...

news feed

Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Polls  |  Forum  |  About  |  Contact
 

Ziff Davis Enterprise Home | Contact Us | Advertise | Link to Us | Reprints | Magazine Subscriptions | Newsletters
Tech RSS Feeds | White Papers | ROI Calculators | Tech Podcasts | Tech Video | VARs | Channel News

Baseline | Careers | Channel Insider | CIO Insight | DesktopLinux | DeviceForge | DevSource | eSeminars |
eWEEK | Enterprise Network Security | LinuxDevices | Linux Watch | Microsoft Watch | Mid-market | Networking | PDF Zone |
Publish | Security IT Hub | Strategic Partner | Web Buyer's Guide | Windows for Devices

Developer Shed | Dev Shed | ASP Free | Dev Articles | Dev Hardware | SEO Chat | Tutorialized | Scripts |
Code Walkers | Web Hosters | Dev Mechanic | Dev Archives | igrep

Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2008 Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is prohibited. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.