Managed Flash Technology

Managed Flash Technology (MFT) is a software layer that enhanced the performance of Flash based storage devices when used in environments with random write operations. MFT also reduces the wear experienced by Flash storage devices as a result of random writes.

Issues with Using Flash Memory as General Computer Storage

Flash RAM has been used for computer storage for a number of years. Recently, with radical lowering of storage prices and increases in performance, Flash RAM is now being used as a direct replacement for rotating hard disk drives. These drives are usually referred to as Flash SSDs.

As Flash SSDs have entered the market, the particular characteristics of Flash storage when uses as a hard disk replacement are becoming apparent. In particular, performance and longevity issues when Flash drives are updated are coming to the forefront. These issues are all due to the internal layout and design of Flash storage devices.

Internally, Flash SSDs are constructed out of Flash RAM that consists of an array of large blocks called "erase blocks". These erase blocks have a logical size that is much larger than the typical size of data read and written. It is this size disparity that leads to performance and longevity issues with Flash SSDs.

In terms of performance, many current Flash SSDs have apparent erase block sizes of 2 Megabytes or larger. The operation of the Flash SSD controller requires that a small update must be merged into a complete erase block. Thus a small random update will transform into a much larger update operation inside of the Flash SSD itself. It is this disparity in block sizes that produces the disparity in read verses write performance seen with Flash SSDs.

MFT is Software that Improves the Random Write Performance and Endurance of Flash SSDs

MFT implements a transparent "block mapping layer" that allows any file system to realize the performance benefits of a "Log File System". The MFT design is designed for performance and as such tends to be somewhat memory hungry. With MFT, commodity Flash SSDs random write performance can improve by over 100x. [1]

* MFT was originally called the "Fast Block Device" and "FBD" is still used internally as the name of the driver layer in Windows and Linux.

* MFT was written by Doug Dumitru in 2006. It is commercially available as a software ad-on for Windows and Linux systems from EasyCo LLC.

* MFT and it design and methods is "patent pending" in the US and internationally.

---- [http://www.easyco.com/mft/index.htm EasyCo MFT WebSite]

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# [http://www.easyco.com/mft/shop/mtron/mobi1000.htm MLC Flash Drive Performance with and without MFT]