OCZ's Indilinx Everest 2 Launching in June 2012, Features Vastly Improved Random Performance

OCZ has a lot to show off this year at CES/Storage Visions, but the most exciting product from a client standpoint is its new Everest 2 controller. While the original Everest just launched two months ago, Everest 2 is expected in the next 6 months. OCZ already has silicon back and it is fast. 

Whereas Everest 1 was a competitive performer, Everest 2 is designed to really go after the performance crown. OCZ has focused more on small block performance as well as reducing write amplification, both issues I've brought up regarding the current Everest in our reviews of OCZ's Octane. Everest 2 is an updated controller (IDX400M00-BC vs. IDX300M00-BC) with a new firmware architecture designed to address these shortcomings. Both it and the original Everest controller will co-exist in the market for a period of time, but the Everest 2 will clearly be aimed at the high end. Target performance is around 550MB/s sequential reads, 500MB/s sequential writes and 90K 4KB random write IOPS (the Iometer screenshots in the gallery below show early 4KB Random Write and 128KB Sequential Write performance, using our own Iometer tests, in that order). If OCZ ends up really confident in the Everest 2, it might just end up being the heart of the Vertex 4...

Gallery: OCZ's Indilinx Everest 2 Launching in June 2012, Features Vastly Improved Random Performance

]]>

The New Indilinx Everest SSD

OCZ acquired Indilinx not too long ago and today we're seeing the first new controller from the company since 2009. OCZ calls it the Everest Platform, and it's an SSD targeted at the enterprise - at least for now.

It's Indilinx's first 6Gbps controller, good for up to 520MB/s reads and 410MB/s writes (but "only" 20K 4KB random write IOPS). The reference drive features two supercaps as its power loss protection circuitry. Everest will start at 64GB and be available in configurations of up to 1TB at customer request.

Given that OCZ owns Indilinx, I'm expecting some pretty aggressive pricing from these controllers. Still no word on a new consumer based Indilinx drive. OCZ did have a Vertex Plus on display, which is the old Barefoot controller but with new firmware that allegedly improves performance up to 500%. I have yet to test the aforementioned firmware so I'm not really sure how accurate the claims are.

It's clear that Indilinx based drives aren't going to be outperforming SandForce anytime soon, but the question is whether or not they'll get good enough to be a value alternative.

{gallery 1102}

]]>