
The Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) format was introduced in 2009 to allow for cards up to 2 TB. In 2006, the Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) format was introduced to allow for cards up to 32 GB. The original format, Secure Digital Standard Capacity (SDSC), was nominally limited to 2 GB. Secure Digital (SD) is the industry standard flash memory card it was introduced in 1999, and it is used in practically every category of consumer electronic devices since its inception.
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While most consumer-level devices now center around Secure Digital (SD), prosumer and professional devices require higher speeds than SD is readily able to provide.
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What portable flash storage form factors exist?ĭifferent form factors of flash storage cards exist to accommodate the variety of devices that the cards are used with. Data center glossary: 12 terms you should know (TechRepublic).
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SSDs utilize NAND flash technology for mass storage, though this is not the only component used in an SSD.

How is flash storage different from a solid-state drive (SSD)? Practically speaking, there is no limit to the number of times a block can be read. In contrast, a 2 TB Intel 760p SSD, which uses 3D TLC NAND, is rated for 1152 TB. A 2 TB Intel 660p SSD, which uses 3D QLC NAND, is rated for 400 TB. Manufacturers measure the lifespan of SSDs in terms of “total bytes written,” or TBW. MLC NAND (two-bit) offers 1,000 to 3,000 cycles in high-capacity applications and 5,000 to 10,000 cycles in medium-capacity applications, while TLC NAND (three-bit) offers approximately 1,000 cycles.ģD NAND offers higher write/erase cycles, with 3D MLC NAND rated between 6,000 to 40,000 cycles, 3D TLC NAND rated between 1,000 to 3,000 cycles, and 3D QLC NAND (four-bit) rated from 100 to 1,000 cycles. SLC NAND, for example, offers relatively low capacities, though it can withstand approximately 100,000 write/erases per block. As NAND flash memory becomes more dense through the use of multi-level cell technology, this lifespan has decreased sharply. SEE: Flash storage: A guide for IT pros (TechRepublic Premium) What are the drawbacks of flash storage?įlash storage has a finite lifespan in terms of the number of times a block can be erased and rewritten. Flash memory cards and solid-state drives (SSDs) utilize NAND flash for mass storage. Generally, NOR flash is restricted to mission-critical applications and embedded use cases such as the firmware of a computer or an embedded electronic device. NAND flash is written and read at a block level, making it unsuitable for embedded use cases that require byte-level access. NAND flash provides faster write and erase times, as well as more dense storage capabilities. NOR flash takes longer to write or erase, but provides byte-level random access, making it a suitable replacement for read-only memory (ROM) chips.

Masuoka’s invention covers two related types of non-volatile memory: NOR and NAND. Masuoka first publicly demonstrated the invention in 1987, with Intel producing the first commercial flash chip in 1988. SEE: All of TechRepublic’s cheat sheets and smart person’s guides What is flash storage?įlash memory is an electronic, solid-state storage medium developed by Fujio Masuoka while working at Toshiba, circa 1980. It is also available as a download, Flash storage: A cheat sheet (free PDF). This article will be updated when new formats and post-flash technologies are introduced. TechRepublic’s flash storage cheat sheet is an overview of the key information you need to know about the topic. Flash memory is the underpinning of modern consumer technology–it is used to store photos taken with digital cameras, and is found in smartphones, tablets, game consoles, as well as solid-state drives used in computers. It is the basis of a variety of storage products for differing use cases, form factors, and speed or performance requirements. Flash memory is an electronic, non-volatile data storage medium that is erased and reprogrammed electrically.
