- DapuStor has debuted a 245TB PCIe Gen5 QLC SSD for AI workloads
- The firm joins other vendors targeting hyperscalers with ultra-capacity flash
- The move reflects how AI is driving demand for dense NAND storage
AI workloads are driving demand for much larger SSDs inside hyperscale data centers, and in response, DapuStor has announced a PCIe Gen5 QLC SSD that scales to 245TB.
122TB versions of the drive are already in use by customers, as the high-capacity SSD is intended for AI data lakes, vector databases and large storage pools where data remains online and is accessed frequently.
These workloads generate large amounts of embeds, logs, and video during AI training and inference. This data is accessed repeatedly rather than archived, so dense flash storage is a better choice than mechanical drives.
DapuStor joins a select group
DapuStor’s SSD uses QLC NAND. By storing four bits per cell it increases the capacity per wafer compared to TLC, improving density and cost-effectiveness.
Previous concerns about QLC endurance and performance have been addressed via controller design, firmware management, and data placement techniques.
This announcement makes DapuStor the eighth vendor to reveal an SSD at or around the 245TB mark.
Kioxia has shown a 246TB LC9 SSD, while Sandisk has revealed a 256TB model for AI workloads. Solidigm has confirmed plans for 245TB drives, and Micron has outlined 122TB PCIe Gen5 SSDs as part of efforts to reduce reliance on hard drives.
Huawei has approached the problem differently by pairing high-capacity SSDs with controller techniques to reduce the reliance on expensive HBM in AI systems.
Samsung has outlined roadmaps that extend beyond current capacity, and its arch-rival SK Hynix has teased the PS1101, its own 245TB PCIe Gen5 enterprise drive.
The move toward higher-capacity SSDs reflects changes in how AI data is stored. Training datasets, inference results, and logs are accessed frequently, favoring flash that handles random I/O while using less rack space and power.
Obviously, these SSDs are not for consumers or even typical businesses. Platform requirements, pricing and scaling keep them limited to hyperscale environments where flash capacity is becoming a critical resource.
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