KIOXIA Contributes Command Set Specs to Software-Enabled Flash Initiative

Kioxia America, Inc. has made a significant contribution to the Linux Foundation’s Software-Enabled Flash Project by donating a command set specification. This move aims to empower storage developers with greater control over data placement, Latency outcomes, and workload isolation requirements through software-defined flash technology. By providing an open API and SDKs, hyperscale environments can optimize their own flash protocols, such as flexible direct placement (FDP) or zoned namespace (ZNS), while also accelerating the adoption of new flash technologies.

The combination of open source software and purpose-built hardware offered by KIOXIA can greatly enhance the value of flash memory in data centers. The company has already developed working samples of hardware modules for hyperscalers, storage developers, and application developers, showcasing its commitment to advancing the industry.

Eric Ries, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Memory and Storage Strategy Division for Kioxia America, Inc., expressed his enthusiasm about the contribution, stating, “We are delighted to provide command set specifications to the Software-Enabled Flash Project. This is an important step that allows the ecosystem to bring products to market and enables customers to extract the maximum value from flash memory.”

This isn’t the first time KIOXIA has supported the Software-Enabled Flash project. The company previously donated an API, further demonstrating its dedication to enabling developers to optimize flash memory according to their specific requirements.

The Software-Enabled Flash Project, hosted by the Linux Foundation and co-founded by KIOXIA, is an open-source collaboration project that aims to promote the adoption and advancement of software-defined flash within the storage developer community. Hilary Carter, Senior Vice President of Research & Communications for the Linux Foundation, emphasized the significance of KIOXIA’s contribution, stating that it allows project member companies to develop their own solutions for storage developers.

For those interested in learning more about the Software-Enabled Flash Project, the Linux Foundation offers various levels of membership and participation. More information can be found at www.softwareenabledflash.org.

To showcase the capabilities of Software-Enabled Flash technology, the project will be present at the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA)’s Storage Developer Conference (SDC) from September 18-21. This event will provide an opportunity to highlight the potential of this innovative technology in the storage industry.

Technology Explained

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Latency: Technology latency is the time it takes for a computer system to respond to a request. It is an important factor in the performance of computer systems, as it affects the speed and efficiency of data processing. In the computer industry, latency is a major factor in the performance of computer networks, storage systems, and other computer systems. Low latency is essential for applications that require fast response times, such as online gaming, streaming media, and real-time data processing. High latency can cause delays in data processing, resulting in slow response times and poor performance. To reduce latency, computer systems use various techniques such as caching, load balancing, and parallel processing. By reducing latency, computer systems can provide faster response times and improved performance.