Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has evolved rapidly, progressing from simple computing to deep learning and generative AI. This advancement is driven by data, making storage solutions crucial. Quad-level cell (QLC) SSDs are an excellent choice for AI applications due to their massive scalability and enhanced power efficiency.

 

Why AI Large Language Models Need QLC SSDs

In the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, Large Language Models (LLMs) have emerged as a cornerstone technology, transforming industries and revolutionizing how we interact with digital systems. These advanced models, capable of understanding and generating human-like text, rely heavily on vast amounts of data and efficient storage solutions to function effectively.

Data is the lifeblood of LLMs. These models are trained on extensive datasets, encompassing diverse sources such as books, articles, websites, and more. Behind the scenes, advanced storage solutions play a critical role in the success of LLMs. The immense volume of data needed for training and operation demands high-capacity, reliable, and fast storage systems. QLC SSDs have emerged as a key technology in this domain, offering several advantages:

1. High Scalability: AI workloads demand scalable storage solutions to efficiently handle large and growing datasets. QLC SSDs offer the capacity to support the expanding model sizes and high-quality output-driven datasets.

2. Computational Efficiency: AI servers use significant computing resources, and limited memory capacity increases storage access frequency. The high-speed reading capability and low latency of QLC SSDs optimize storage performance, ensuring rapid loading and smooth operation of large AI models.

3. Energy-Efficient Storage: QLC SSDs have a higher energy efficiency ratio compared to HDDs. This improves storage density, reduces power consumption, enhances the efficiency of smart computing clusters, and lowers the total cost of ownership (TCO).

 

How Can DapuStor QLC SSDs Help with AI

At the China Flash Memory Summit (CFMS) on March 20, 2024, DapuStor officially introduced the PCIe Gen4 QLC SSDs, with capacity support of 16TB and 32TB, as well as 4K mapping and dual-port features. It can replace SAS/SATA HDDs in core storage scenarios, with sequential read/write and random read close to those of similar TLC products. It combines the high capacity of HDDs and bandwidth comparable to TLC, bridging the cost and performance gap between TLC SSDs and HDDs.

At the same time, it requires only 12W of power consumption at 7G read bandwidth, making it ideal for low-power, high-capacity and high-density storage scenarios. The high-speed read capability and high capacity of QLC SSDs significantly accelerate the loading of large AI models and the preprocessing of big data before AI inference.

 

DapuStor QLC SSDs vs. HDDs

In a 10PB storage cluster, it requires 595 24TB HDDs and 50 servers. Switching to DapuStor's 32TB PCIe Gen4 QLC SSDs reduces this to 347 SSDs and 29 servers, cutting the required volume by approximately 42%. Additionally, the number of racks needed is halved. DapuStor QLC SSDs consume 30% less power over five years compared to HDDs. As a direct HDD replacement, DapuStor QLC SSDs reduce the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by 45%, offering significant cost savings.

 

DapuStor QLC SSDs vs. TLC SSDs

DapuStor QLC SSDs offer comparable read performance to TLC SSDs but at a lower cost per bit and with less physical space required for the same storage density.  The TCO of DapuStor QLC SSDs is about 20% lower per terabyte than TLC SSDs. Therefore, DapuStor QLC SSDs are ideal for read-intensive or latency-insensitive scenarios, such as warm and cold data storage in data centers, edge caching in content distribution networks, and separating hot and cold data in cloud computing platforms.

Overall, QLC SSDs offer greater storage capacity and lower ownership costs compared to TLC SSDs. While they lag behind TLC SSDs in performance, they outperform HDDs in terms of performance, efficiency, space, power, and cooling costs.

Driven by technological advancements and market needs, DapuStor has developed QLC SSDs to support AI applications. Aiming to enhance storage performance and cost-effectiveness through innovation, DapuStor QLC SSDs offer faster data access and higher storage density, improving model training and inference times while reducing data processing costs. We are committed to advancing technology to drive breakthroughs and applications in AI.

About DapuStor Corporation

DapuStor Corporation (DapuStor), founded in April 2016, is a leading expert in high-end enterprise solid-state drives (SSD), SOC, and edge computing-related products. With world-class R&D strength and over 400 team members, it has comprehensive capabilities from chip design and product development to mass production. Its products have been widely used in servers, telecom operators, and data centers.

 

For more information, please contact:

Contact at DapuStor

Emma Wang

Email: mkt@dapustor.com