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As industries increasingly incorporate AI driven technology into their workflows, the need for a faster, denser storage solutions is on the rise. NVMe media is the storage of choice for many applications, as single NVMe SSDs are capable of delivering performance on par with an entire rack of SAS/SATA devices.
PCIe AICs and Adapter cards are one of the most effective ways to deploy NVMe storage in modern computing environments. NVMe AICs and Adapter solutions provide a wealth of benefits for AI driven applications, and as most require only a single PCIe slot, they can be easily integrated into any industry standard x86 server or workstation, even compact, custom-configured GPU servers and industrial platforms.
Pro-Class NVMe AICs and Adapters represent the cream of the crop – in addition the aggregation of NVMe storage configurations, Pro-Class solutions can bring a range of innovative features and technologies to the table, such as robust management and monitoring suites, the ability to create and host RAID arrays, and support for SED (self-encrypting disks), which can substantially enhance the security and reliability of critical storage assets.
The following article explores the concept of the NVMe AICs and Adapters, with an emphasis on advanced, Pro-Class varieties, and explores how these storage form factors can impact high-speed applications in the following ways:
Increased Productivity: NVMe media’s ability to interface directly with the host CPU(s) can dramatically boost data processing speeds and facilitate a more efficient workflow. NVMe AICs & Adapters were designed to leverage multiple SSDs to enhance these attributes even further.
Scalability: NVMe AICs and Adapters can support multiple NVMe SSDs per PCIe slot. Multiple device channels enable administrators to add or remove media as needed to address the needs of each application. Unique offerings, such as HighPoint’s PCIe Gen5 Pro-Class series AICs and Adapters solutions can combine up to 8 independent SSDs to maximize capacity and performance via RAID technology. HighPoint’s Value-Series Adapters can support an astonishing number of devices; up to 32 via a storage backplane.
Cost Efficiency: No longer exotic media, NVMe SSDs are now readily available in a variety of form factors, capacities, and classes, ranging from client M.2 SSDs to datacenter class EDSFF media and enterprise grade 2.5” U.2/U.3 drives.
Flexible Solutions: NVMe AICs and Adapters enable administrators to take full advantage of NVMe storage technology. Value Series solutions can function as simple, plug-and-play storage upgrades, as they are natively supported by most operating systems and require no driver or software installation. Pro-Series takes things even further and offer a selection of advanced features such as integrated RAID technology, Hot-Swap and Hot-Plug capability (the ability to add or remove SSDs and arrays on the fly), Data Encryption, and complete storage management/monitoring solutions. Pro-Class solutions enable administrators to rapidly deploy NVMe storage configurations for a wide range of applications, workflows and platforms.
Getting to Know NVMe AICs and NVMe Adapters
NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is the current standard for high-performance storage devices like solid state disks (SSDs) and flash memory.
NVMe devices use the system’s PCIe host interface to interact directly with the host platform’s CPU or CPUs. This architecture facilitates significantly faster response time, lower latency, and superior transfer performance — particularly compared to SAS, SATA and other conventional alternatives.
NVMe Storage devices come in numerous form factors such as compact M.2 and E1.S SSDs , 2.5” U.2, U.3 and E3.S media, or PCIe add-in devices. For many applications, PCIe NVMe AICs (add-in-cards) and adapters are the most effective choice:
· NVMe AICs (add-in cards) are independent PCIe controller cards designed to directly host NVMe media. You can plug them into an open PCIe slot to quickly add NVMe storage or expand storage available capacity.
· Like NVMe AICs, NVMe adapters are PCIe add-in-cards. However, instead of hosting storage directly, most adapters host NVMe media via device cables. The cables can be connected directly to the SSDs themselves, or to a storage backplane.
Leveraging multiple NVMe SSDs via a PCIe Adapter or AIC can result in a powerful data solution. Users can take advantages of blazing-fast, high-density storage in a compact, universal form factor.
Key Features and Benefits of NVMe AICs & Adapters
NVMe AICs and Adapters do more than just make storage upgrades more convenient. Their industry-standard form factor, universal PCIe connectivity and ability to host multiple NVMe SSDs make them ideal storage and performance upgrades for a wide range of server and workstation applications.
· Consistently high performance
· Effortless scalability – multiple device ports enable you greatly expand available storage capacity
· Universal PCIe interface and form factor compatibility
· Improved power efficiency, durability, and reliability
· Highly Flexible: different classes of solutions provide unique feature sets and allow you to tailor unique storage configurations for any application or workflow
Consistently High Performance
The undeniable performance advantages provided by NVMe AICs and Adapters is a huge factor in their success.
Superior NVMe SSD Performance: NVMe SSDs transfer data far faster than their SAS and SATA counterparts. For instance, with a single Gen4 NVMe SSD, you might see transfer speeds up to 7,000MB/s. Upgrading to a Gen5 SSD would double this to 14,000MB/s. For comparison, SAS and SATA SSDs max out at around 500MB-1000MB/s.
Performance Aggregation: Advanced NVMe AICs can directly host and leverage up to 8 individual NVMe SSDs. Those capable of running at x16 PCIe speeds, such as HighPoint’s SSD and Rocket series product lines, can maximize per-slot performance. This results in breathtaking real-world transfer speeds; 14,000MB/s for Gen3, 28,000MB/s for Gen4, and an astounding 56,000MB/s for Gen5!
Ultra Low-Latency: Latency is significantly lower with NVMe media. Because NVMe accesses the host CPU directly, response time is immediate. Processing times also drop, which lowers overall latency. Advanced NVMe AICs, in particular, those that utilize PCIe Switch Architecture, all but eliminate lag.
Higher Input/Output Operations Per Second (IOPS): NVMe AICs IOPS rates outpace other storage solutions. These devices also excel at random read/write operations, making them a go-to solution for high-performance applications that depend on rapid data retrieval and storage.
Effortless Scalability
NVMe AICs and adapters simplify scalability and storage upgrade paths. When upgrading using individual NVMe SSDs, you'll quickly hit a wall: motherboards only offer so many built-in M.2 ports. In contrast, PCIe NVMe AICs and adapters accomplish much more with and only need a single PCIe slot. Instead settle for single drive when you can add up to 32!
Advanced Pro-Class NVMe AICs like HighPoint’s PCIe Gen5 x16 Rocket 7608A Switch AIC provide up to 8 independent device ports – this enables you to add 8 M.2 SSDs to your platform without having to invest in any other storage related hardware – no drive bays, no cabling, no additional power or cooling concerns.
Advanced NVMe Adapters can provide even more flexibility when it comes to storage expansion. HighPoint’s Pro-Class Rocket 7628A PCIe Gen5 x16 RAID Adapter can be configured to support multiple storage backplanes via its four MCIO ports, and is an ideal solution for platforms equipped with 2.5” drive bays or mobile racks, like Edge SMB, and Enterprise Servers or platforms that employ HCI (hyperconverged infrastructure technology).
· Expand or Upgrade Storage Capacity: You can easily add or replace drives using multiple device channels and ports to optimize space and bandwidth. Advanced NVMe Adapters can even support Hot-Swap and Hot-Plug, which allows you to add or remove SSDs on the fly!
· Build Multi-Drive Configurations: Some NVMe Add-in cards support resiliency-oriented multi-drive configurations, like RAID 1 mirroring, which can add redundancy to bootable, or RAID 0, which can combine a group of SSDs to act as a single unit in order to optimize performance and storage capacity over a full x16 lanes of PCIe host bandwidth.
Universal Interface and Form Factor Compatibility
Most industry-standard computing platforms support PCIe devices. This makes NVMe AICs a perfect fit, and having many form factor options at disposal doesn’t hurt:
· Low-Profile: Also commonly referred to as “Half-Height”, NVMe Adapters and 2-port AICs often use this form factor to fit in small spaces. This form factor is perfect for compact industrial platforms, desktops and rackmount servers.
· Full-Height, Full-Length: Many 4- and 8-channel M.2 NVMe AICs use this form factor to pack in more drives. Though larger than a Low-Profile device, these cards are considerably more compact than a full-size graphics card.
· Full-Height/Full-Length/Dual-Width: 8-Channel E1.S AICs may demand more space – these cards are roughly the size of a high-end GPU (graphics card). However, this form factor packs quite a punch. E1.S combines enterprise reliability and performance with the convenience of M.2 media. HighPoint’s SSD7749E AIC is the prime example.
PCIe Connectivity: Right out of the box, the PCIe connectivity of NVMe AICs and Adapters provides two distinct benefits: universal compatibility and easy installation . While it's essential to match up your PCIe "x" lanes (there's a big difference between electrical lane bandwidth and physical slot size), NVMe AIC and Adapters are available for every application and form factor.
The takeaway? You can upgrade almost any modern or recent legacy computing platform with an NVMe AIC. Look closely and you'll find these devices employed everywhere, from compact rackmount servers and industrial mini-PCs to tower desktop workstations and high-end gaming rigs!
Improved Power Efficiency, Durability, and Reliability
NVMe AICs are highly power efficient, wasting far less energy than SAS/SATA media. This is better for data centers and high-performance computing environments. These devices also excel at energy and heat management:
· More Sustainable Power Consumption: NVMe AICs are just engineered differently. They consume less power than traditional storage solutions, lowering operational costs.
· Dedicated Heat Dissipation: Advanced NVMe AICs include built-in cooling hardware. Needing to add more platform-level cooling is a thing of the past. More efficient heat management also avoids thermal throttling, ensures optimal performance, increases SSD longevity, and improves reliability.
NMVe AICs vs. the Alternatives
NVMe AICs are a worthwhile investment because they achieve what alternative technologies can't:
· SATA Looks Downright Slow by Comparison. NVMe AIC performance completely outclasses SATA-based solutions. This even holds true for PCIe Gen3 NVMe media. Cost-effective Gen3 SSDs offers 3,500MB/s of transfer speed, beating today’s fastest SATA SSDs by a factor of seven.
· SAS Can't Keep Up. NVMe AICs offer significantly lower latency and vastly higher data transfer rates than SAS drives.
· Standalone NVMe SSDs are fast but limited in capacity. Relying on single NVMe SSDs will only net you x4 bus speed and 61.44TB a piece. In contrast, NVMe AICs and Adapters can combine multiple SSDs to boost performance and total capacity.
· NVMe Adapters Support U.2/U.3 and EDSFF Media. You can build extremely high-capacity solutions with industry-standard 2.5” NVMe devices. This type of solution is easy for many to transition to, especially if they are already familiar with SAS/SATA technology. U.2, U.3 and E3.S (EDFSS) utilize the long standing 2.5” form factor and associated chassis hardware. Adapters with PCIe Switch technology, such as HighPoint’s Pro-Class Rocket 7628A, can be configured to support as many as 32 61.44TB NVMe SSDs from a single slot; this can result in nearly 5 petabytes of storage at PCIe Gen5 x16 speeds!
· M.2 and EI.S NVMe AICs Can Directly Host the Storage Media Without Cabling. They make building compact, high-speed, all-in-one storage solutions a simple task. They enable you to instantly add up to 61TB of M.2 or E1.S storage with x16 lanes of performance using a single PCIe device!
Classes of NVMe AICs & Adapters
In most cases, NVMe AICs/Adapters are not one-size fits all solutions. To determine which is the right solution for your application, it’s important to understand the types of solutions available in today’s marketplace.
AICs/Adapters are classified into four main categories or classes, based on PCIe architecture:
· PCIe Controller
· PCIe Switch
· PCIe Retimer
· PCIe Redriver
This section will discuss each type of architecture, and summarize the Pros and Cons associated with each technology.
A. PCIe NVMe Controller
1. What is a PCIe NVMe Controller
A PCIe NVMe Controller is simply a PCIe to NVMe controller card. It does not employ any particular technology to enhance NVMe performance or scalability, and really only provides NVMe device ports or device channels. It is the most basic form of PCIe add-in NVMe solution, and also the most common. For example, many of the default NVMe expansion accessories for various platforms (such as factory- built Dell, HP or ASUS computers) are simply ordinary controller cards that function as a basic M.2 to PCIe adapter. This class of AIC/Adapter is also fully dependent on host bifurcation – they rely on the host CPU to allocate PCIe lanes and process all I/O requests. Faster that SAS/SATA? Sure, but still entry-level when it comes to NVMe storage.
Applications: General computing; office platforms or home PCs and budget gaming rigs.
2. Pros of a PCIe NVMe Controller: In summary, cost and simplicity. Most of these solutions are offered in an accessory format, are pre-tested and configured for a specific make/model or range of PC platforms, and are relatively affordable. They are a simple way to add more M.2 ports to as system.
3. Cons of a PCIe NVMe Controller: These devices tend to provide basic M.2 connectivity and not much else. Most are limited to 1, 2 or 4 ports (max), and few, if any, can provide a full x4 lanes for each SSD. Performance and drive count is ultimately determined by the host computer. As touched upon earlier, these devices rely on system-side bifurcation to function; that is, they are 100% dependent on the host platform for PCIe lane assignment. This often limits the number of supported SSDs, and SSD performance may be limited to x1 lanes, regardless of the PCIe host interface (be it Gen3 4 or 5).
B. PCIe Switch
1. What is a PCIe Switch?
An NVMe AIC or Adapter with an architecture based on PCIe Switch technology can be thought of as operating like a network switch for PCIe lanes; it can distribute PCIe lanes to each hosted NVMe device (some can handle as many as 144 lanes internally!), and can offload I/O requests from the host computer’s CPU. PCIe Switches were developed for professional workflows that demand maximum performance, massive storage capability and enhanced flexibility when it comes to configuring storage devices. PCIe Switches allow hosted NVMe devices (SSDs) can communicate with each other directly through the AIC or adapter, as opposed to other architectures, where the I/O requests to and from each SSD must first go through the host CPU. HighPoint NVMe AICs and Adapters employ this type of architecture. A break-down of this innovative technology is provided here.
