Microsemi Makes an SSD With Super Tough SATA Connectors

By Douglas Perry
published

Microsemi announced its new TRRUST-Stor SSD drives for use in "harsh" environments.

The drives come with a "ruggedized" SATA 6 Gbps connector, which the manufacturer says feature "50 percent lower contact resistance than conventional designs and provide a minimum of 100,000 insertions with little to no performance degradation."

Designed especially for industrial and military applications in which "industry-standard SATA connectors are inadequate" the connector promises to deal effectively with "shock and vibration issues".

"The weakest link in many embedded applications is the connector, which can sabotage the operation of critical hardware," said BJ Heggli, vice president of Strategic Development and assistant general manager for Microsemi. "Our new connector family protects against the effects of severe shock and vibration, which safeguards the flow of data. As a result, we can now offer customers what is perhaps the most secure and rugged SSD available on the market."

The 2.5-inch, SLC-based drives are currently offered with capacities of 50 and 100 GB, while 200 and 400 GB versions are in development. The manufacturer promises at least 2 million hours MTBF. There was no information on pricing.

Douglas Perry
17 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Marco925
    Looks expensive
    Reply
  • trumpeter1994
    so if i set the cable connector on fire will it still work? o.O
    Reply
  • maxinexus
    Extremophiles SSD
    Reply
  • halcyon
    Meh
    Reply
  • dormantreign
    Toms, would you guys be willing to test this "No signal degradation" they are talking about. I find it to be hogwash really.

    Buy a brand new SSD, do your test like you do, then have staff and people just sit there removing the cables over and over, but not to break it. After 10k or 20k times, run the tests again. I think it would be a great test!
    Reply
  • jaber2
    trumpeter1994so if i set the cable connector on fire will it still work? o.OI doubt it.
    Reply
  • foscooter
    A great idea!

    I have a thread in THG about the SATA connector to my OCZ Agility 3 coming off or loosening by themselves.

    Do I get credit? Yet another idea I've had, that someone else ran with.
    Reply
  • syrious1
    Am I the only one thinking this? its already an SSD, i.e. no moving parts, so how was it affected by vibration before?

    Reply
  • pocketdrummer
    "100,000 insertions with little to no performance degradation."

    You guys talking about me again?

    (couldn't help myself...)
    Reply
  • milktea
    syrious1Am I the only one thinking this? its already an SSD, i.e. no moving parts, so how was it affected by vibration before?Solid State devices are not immune to shock and vibration. The IC packaging could go bad given enough G-shock to the hardware. The esata connector could fall off after some very serious vibration. And the friction between the connector's gold contact could wear out from vibration. Obviously not something you'd see in everyday use. But anything could happen for military purposes.
    Reply