Micron rolls out 276-layer SSD trio for pace, scale, and stability – Blocks and Information

Micron has introduced three totally different SSDs aimed toward three totally different markets. The 9650 is a PCIe Gen 6 SSD utilizing TLC (3 bits/cell) flash and constructed for pace. The 6600 ION is a high-capacity – 122.88 TB – PCIe Gen 5 drive utilizing slower QLC (4 bits/cell) flash. The third drive, the 7600, is one other PCIe Gen 5 TLC product designed for constant low latency within the 1.6-15.36 TB capability space. All three use its newest Gen 9 276-layer 3D NAND and have Micron’s personal DRAM, NAND, controller, and firmware.

9650

This is a PCIe Gen 6 drive, in TLC format utilizing 276-layer Gen 9 Micron NAND, and consequently a quick performer, PCIe 6 being twice the pace of the PCIe 5 interconnect. It is available in a read-optimized – 9650 Pro – or mixed-use variant – 9650 Max – and the efficiency varies between them:

The headline numbers are 5.5 million/900,000 random learn/write IOPS, 28 GBps sequential learn and 14 GBps sequential write bandwidth, with Micron saying these speeds can dramatically speed up AI coaching and inference. The capability vary is 6.4 TB as much as 25.6 TB in E3.S format with the 9650 Max, and seven.68 TB to 30.72 TB in both E1.S or E3.S codecs with the 9650 Pro. This additionally has an E1.S liquid cooling choice for the 7.68 and 15.36 TB variations, suggesting they run sizzling. Parallel IO operations are helped by the 9650 having a six-plane structure.

The prior Micron 9550 is a PCIe Gen5 SSD constructed with its earlier Gen 8 232-layer NAND. It delivered as much as 3.3 million/900,000 random learn/write IOPS and 14/10 GBps sequential learn/write bandwidth – considerably slower than the 9650. The 9650 additionally delivers extra MB/watt, being 1.2 to 2x extra environment friendly than the 9550.

The 9650 has numerous safety and different certifications: FIPS 140-3 Level 2 and Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliant choices, SPDM 1.2 system safety, self-encrypting drive (SED) choices, Micron Secure Execution Environment (SEE), FIPS 140-3 Level 2, and TAA compliant choices, OCP 2.6.

6600 ION

The 6600 ION succeeds the 6550 ION each in E3.S and U.2 (2.5-inch) codecs, plus E1.L for the 6550. They are PCIe Gen5 drives with the 6550 utilizing TLC (3bits/cell) 232-layer 3D NAND and the 6600 constructed with newer 276-layer NAND however formatted in QLC (4bits/cell). The 6550 is available in 30.72 and 61.44 TB variations whereas the 6600 provides a 122.88 TB choice.  

The pace variations are telling:

• 6550: 1.6 million/70K random learn/write IOPS, 12/5 sequential learn/write GBps
• 6600: 2 million/40K random learn/write IOPS, 14/3 sequential learn/write GBps

Oddly, the 30.72 TB model of the 6600 places out 100,000 random write IOPS whereas the 61.44 TB and 122.88 TB variants can solely put out 40,000. The 30.72 TB 6600 has a 4 KB Indirection Unit (IU) and there’s a 16 KB IU for the bigger capability 6600s. IU entries are saved in DRAM and a bigger IU means much less DRAM is required for a set capability as there are fewer mapping entries.

We perceive {that a} 4KB IU means one mapping entry corresponds to a 4KB logical block, aligning with the everyday drive Logical Block Address (LBA) dimension. A 16KB IU means one mapping entry covers 16KB (e.g., 4 4KB LBAs), lowering the variety of mapping entries wanted however probably impacting efficiency and endurance, because it definitely seems to take action right here. Writing 4 KB of information to an SSD with a 16 KB IU means studying a complete 16KB web page, modifying 4KB, and writing again 16KB, inflicting write amplification. A 245 TB model of the 6600 is coming later.

7650

Like the 9650, this drive is available in read-intensive Pro and Max mixed-use variants however is barely obtainable within the U.2 format. Its capability vary is proscribed, at 1.6-12.8 TB for the Max and 1.92-15.36 TB for the Pro model, basically half that of the 9650. The efficiency is just not the quickest, because the desk beneath illustrates:

Micron says the 7650 has “class-leading performance for AI, databases, content delivery, real-time analytics, social media, cloud computing, and virtualization.”

CoreWeave chief product officer Chetan Kapoor stated: “The 7600 SSD provides the right balance of affordability, performance and predictable latency for most datacenter workloads including AI.”

Security options embody SPDM 1.2 system safety, self-encrypting drive (SED) choices, Micron Secure Execution Environment (the Micron SEE is a devoted safety processing unit electrically remoted from the opposite [open] microprocessor(s) contained in the SSD controller), FIPS 140-3 Level 2, and TAA compliant choices obtainable.

We perceive it’s a successor to the older PCIe 4-using Micron 7500 Pro and Max drives.

9650 and 7600 SSD samples are transport to clients now. The 6600 ION 122 TB SSD samples are transport later within the third quarter of calendar 2025 in E3.S and U.2 kind components. The 245 TB SSD model of the 6600 ION SSD is deliberate to be obtainable within the first half of calendar 2026.

Get a 9650 product temporary here, a 6600 ION temporary here, and a 7600 temporary here.