Flash Core Module

IBM FlashCore Modules

Company type	Product line
Industry	Computer data storage
Founded	2007 (as RamSan-500 by Texas Memory Systems)
Founder	Texas Memory Systems (acquired by IBM)
Products	Solid-state storage units (PCIe NVMe SSDs)
Parent	IBM

IBM FlashCore Modules (FCM) represent solid-state storage units that utilize PCI Express along with the NVMe protocol. These modules serve as alternatives to conventional 2.5" NVMe SSD drives and are incorporated into specific IBM FlashSystem arrays. They come in various capacities, including 4.8 TB, 9.6 TB, 19.2 TB, and 38.4 TB. FlashCore Modules incorporate hardware-based self-encryption and perform real-time inline hardware data compression, enabling support for up to 115.2 TB of addressable space without compromising performance.

History

The enterprise flash storage market saw a significant milestone on September 17, 2007, when Texas Memory Systems (TMS) introduced the RamSan-500, recognized as the first enterprise-grade flash SSD. TMS pioneered proprietary designs for form factors and connectivity, implemented hard-decision ECC algorithms, and embedded a flash translation layer directly within the SSD hardware. Their approach, relying solely on hardware data paths, achieved latency reductions compared to standard controllers. This innovation paved the way for RamSan All Flash Arrays (AFA) as well as hybrid DRAM/Flash solutions featuring bespoke flash management implemented through both software and hardware. Over seven generations, TMS developed flash controllers utilizing SLC and later MLC NAND flash technologies, available with various configurations such as embedded PowerPC processors and FPGAs.

More than fifteen products from TMS incorporated these controllers, including four PCIe-based drives—RamSan-10, -20, -70, and -80—that were compatible with standard server platforms.

In 2012, IBM completed its acquisition of Texas Memory Systems.

Following this acquisition, on January 16, 2014, IBM unveiled the FlashSystem 840—the first FlashSystem developed internally after acquiring TMS—which introduced IBM MicroLatency technology designed to reduce data retrieval times from milliseconds down to microseconds.

On February 19, 2015, IBM released the FlashSystem 900 and V9000 models while renaming its flash controller technology to IBM FlashCore technology—emphasizing superior performance compared to traditional enterprise disk drives. These modules continued to utilize IBM MicroLatency branding and supported Micron's MLC NAND flash components. This generation also introduced full-speed inline hardware compression and decompression capabilities.

The July 10, 2018 launch of the FlashSystem 9100 marked a redesign of FlashCore technology into a standardized -inch U.2 NVMe SSD form factor and its rebranding as FlashCore Modules (FCM). This transition represented the first time the technology adhered to industry standards and could be interchanged with typical SSDs within an AFA environment.

Technology

IBM's FlashCore Modules (FCM) combine an FPGA with commercially available NAND flash memory chips to execute the entire data processing path directly in hardware. Each module is equipped with a single FPGA that houses an NVMe gateway alongside multi-core ARM processors, supported by DRAM, MRAM, and NAND Flash components.

The Flash Translation Layer (FTL) is fully embedded within the FCM, allowing for real-time hardware compression and decompression at high speeds. The controller architecture incorporates advanced methods such as health binning, heat segregation, read voltage adjustment, and hard-decision error correction codes to reduce rereads and decrease write amplification, thereby maintaining consistently low latency.

The FCM product line includes three generations:

• FCM1.0 – U.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 3 interface, utilizing hybrid SLC-TLC NAND Flash, available in capacities of 4.8TBu / 21.99TBe, 9.6TBu / 21.99TBe, and 19.2TBu / 43.98TBe.
• FCM2.0 – U.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 3 with hybrid SLC-QLC NAND Flash, offered in four capacity options reaching up to 38.4TBu / 87.96TBe.
  • This generation introduced the industry's highest-capacity enterprise SSD and was the first to employ exclusively QLC NAND Flash in an enterprise-grade SSD.
• FCM3.0 – Available with U.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 3 and Gen 4 interfaces, combining hybrid SLC-QLC NAND Flash in capacities up to 38.4TBu / 115.2TBe.
  • Designed to enhance performance and infrastructure specifically for enterprise QLC SSDs.
  • Features compressor throughput doubled and decompressor speed increased by more than 50% at higher capacities.
  • Incorporates state-of-the-art FPGA technology supporting Gen 4 PCIe and improved ARM cores.
  • Employs a streamlined data path design with fewer components to maximize efficiency.

By April 2017, IBM had amassed a portfolio exceeding 380 patents related to flash technology, highlighting its pioneering role in flash storage advancements.