Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2010/01/07/dell_pliant/

Dell reveals Pliant SSD-shaped hole in new array

Looks like a design win

By Chris Mellor

Posted in Channel, 7th January 2010 15:18 GMT

Dell is adding a solid state drive (SSD) option to its PowerVault MD1220 array this quarter and it looks like start-up Pliant has won the supply deal.

Dell's product page describing the MD1220 has a hot-linked note in the second paragraph, that says: "Availability of Solid State Drives (SSD’s) on PowerVault MD1220 expected Q1 2010."

A Reg commentator tips us that it is a: "150GB, SAS-1 (300MB/sec) and the only announced 150GB SAS SSD I know of is from Pliant."

We covered Pliant's Lightning LB 150GB, 2.5-inch SAS solid state drive in September. We said then it, "runs at more than 140,00 sustained IOPS, with sustained read and write data transfers of 420MB/sec and 220MB/sec respectively." Later in September Pliant announced a distribution deal with Bell Micro, but no OEM deals have been revealed.

A Dell MD1220 pdf brochure says the MD1220 can have 2.5-inch 6GB SAS hard drives or SSDs, indicating this will be a 6Gbit/s SAS II interface SSD product.

Pliant told us in September that SAS II interface products could be expected in the middle of this year. SAS II will be backwards-compatible with 3Gbit/s SAS 1.

Both Pliant and Dell are members of the Storage Networking Industry Association's (SNIA) Solid State Storage Initiative (SSSI).

If this design win is real, then it is a hugely significant win by Pliant and should open up more opportunities for it in the storage industry. Neither Dell nor Pliant were immediately able to comment. ®