Big names push for flash cache standards

by Stephen Withers

Friday, 01 June 2007

Dell, Intel and Microsoft are leading a group that aims to provide a standardised programming interface for non-volatile memory.

The Non-Volatile Memory Host Controller Interface (NVMHCI) Working Group is a reaction to the various NAND flash memory products coming to market. The establishment of a standard interface will make it easier for different products to be accommodated by operating systems.

"ONFI [Open NAND Flash Interface Working Group] formed last year to standardise the interface between the flash controller and the NAND itself, and standardising the register level interface between the flash controller and the operating system driver is the logical next step," said Rick Coulson, senior fellow and director of I/O Architecture at Intel.

The inclusion of flash memory in PC designs has several advantages. By speeding access to cached data it can improve boot-up and resume times, speed application loading, and extend notebook battery life by reducing the number of times the hard drive must be spun up.

"Several NAND solutions are coming on the scene to take advantage of the ReadyBoost and ReadyDrive features of the Windows Vista operating system," said Bob Rinne, general manager of Windows Hardware Ecosystem at Microsoft. "Standardising on a common controller interface will enable more integrated operating system support of these solutions."

The group expects to deliver its specification in the second half of 2007.{moscomment}

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