In the demanding environments of defense, industrial and commercial sectors, data storage solutions must be both robust and adaptable. At Crystal Group, we’ve pioneered the development of rugged drive packs to address these critical needs, ensuring durability, efficiency, and security in the most challenging conditions.
The shift toward NVMe
NVMe technology is gaining prominence due to its superior speed and efficiency. It facilitates increased storage capacities and is making progress on advanced cybersecurity features typically present only on SATA/SAS drives today. A few select NVMe drives have achieved Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) certifications and are suitable for Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC), underscoring their suitability for secure applications. While SATA and SAS interfaces remain in use, NVMe is becoming the preferred choice for high-performance storage needs.
Addressing customer challenges with advanced drive packs
Our innovative drive packs are engineered to tackle several critical challenges:
- Connector wear and durability: Traditional drives typically endure about 500 insertion/removal cycles before connectors degrade. In contrast, our rugged drive packs are proven to withstand over 100,000 cycles, enabling daily drive removals for five to ten years without performance loss. This longevity ensures that entire programs can operate without mid-cycle replacements.
- Thermal management: Recognizing that drives are often the most thermally sensitive components, we provide solutions that function effectively regardless of the customer’s cooling setup, including passive cooling options. For example, the liquid-cooled drive pack pictured above is conduction-cooled and compatible with liquid coolant or air-over conduction.
- Operational efficiency: Our hot-swappable drives allow for seamless removal and replacement without system shutdowns, maintaining continuous operation and data collection. The design includes blind mate, lockable options, and easy removal facilitated by a single thumb screw, enabling rapid declassification of systems when necessary.
- Standardization and portability: The drive packs conform to the industry-standard 2.5″ U.2 form factor, ensuring compatibility and facilitating the seamless transfer of data between systems and applications. This approach is akin to swapping out a car battery instead of waiting for it to charge, enhancing operational efficiency.
Sealed removable drive packs
Our sealed removable drive packs are compatible with IP67/IP68-rated products, providing robust protection against dust and water ingress, which is essential for operations in harsh environments. These drive packs can be seamlessly integrated in our RE3423M Sealed Server.
Diverse use cases
Drive packs are suitable for a wide array of applications; however, they are specifically designed for:
- Organizations building extensive repositories of field data.
- Autonomous vehicle systems requiring reliable data storage.
- Entities developing AI datasets that must remain confidential.
- Scenarios necessitating the collection of large data volumes for secure storage.
Conclusion
At Crystal Group, we are committed to advancing our technologies to meet the evolving requirements of the industry and our customers. Our readiness for future developments, including the E.3 standard, reflects our dedication to providing cutting-edge, reliable, and secure storage solutions.