Block Storage
on Fire

Focusing on Linear Writes, ESS transforms the usually random and chaotic write workload into a perfect linear write workload. This linear workload is more efficient at every level of the storage stack, from the individual SSD to RAID to File Systems.
 

Built on Atomic Updates, ESS implements a novel atomic update structure which is far more efficient than other approaches. The patented ESS "atomic update" technique writes data to media with nearly 100% efficiency.
 

The ESS update engine guarantees data consistency, even if the drives do things that are unpleasant. Drives sometimes re-order writes; ESS catches these and ensures that you have valid, chronologically intact data, even if the hardware does something else.

The ESS engine always validates important control data to insure data consistency. It can also validate every block end-to-end if desired.
 
 
 
 

Because ESS can control writes to use exact alignment, parity-based RAID is 100% efficient. There are no read/modify/write operations to update. There are no "write holes" to plug. 100% of the linear bandwidth of member SSDs is used to store actual live data.

Random writes with traditional SSD arrays generate huge workloads on the host. ESS lowers the host overhead so that both ESS and your applications run faster.
 
 
 

The storage devices store packed, dense data. This gives you more available storage with less hardware.
 
 
 
 
 
 

By using techniques such as parity RAID instead of mirroring, thin provisioning, full support of trim/discard, and fine-grained block-level compression, your storage hardware needs can actually be decreased.
 
 

ESS and its linear write engine lowers NAND Flash wear. In combination with array effects, the effective life of your drives can be 10x longer, or more.
 
 
 
 

>10GB/sec writes and >2,000,000 4KB random write IOPS are possible with 24 SATA SSDs, RAID-6. The same array without ESS is 10x slower and writes with 100x fewer IOPS.
 
 
 

Storage hardware costs can be cut significantly by using fewer SSDs, and safely using lower-cost drives.
 
 
 
 
 
 

WildFire Storage can supply you with everything from the block-level driver, to a full turn-key SAN appliance. We work with our licensees to optimize value.