Technology
SandForce uses inexpensive multi-level cell technology in a data center environment with a 5-year expected life. At the time the company emerged from stealth mode, other solid-state drives in the market were using the more expensive single-level cell technology.
SandForce gave the name "DuraClass" to the overall technology incorporated in its controllers. SandForce controllers did not use DRAM for caching which reduces cost and complexity compared to other SSD controllers. SandForce controllers also use a proprietary compression system to minimize the amount of data actually written to non-volatile memory (the "write amplification") which increases speed and lifetime for most data (known as "DuraWrite"). SandForce claims to have reduced write amplification to 0.5 on a typical workload. As a byproduct, data that cannot readily be compressed (for example random data, encrypted files or partitions, compressed files, or many common audio and video file formats) is slower to write. Other features include error detection and correction technology known as "RAISE" (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements) which improves the disk failure rates, and AES encryption which works in the background and is completely automatic. Data is encrypted even if there is no password which makes data recovery problematic; however, hardware encryption (which encrypts the user data as physically stored to flash without any significant performance loss) doesn't replace, but rather complements, the drive lock feature and software-based encryption, which prevent unauthorized access to the drive's contents over the host interface.
Products
SandForce initially released a family split into enterprise (data center) and client (desktop) computing applications. The SF-1500 was the enterprise product and the SF-1200 the client product. Reference designs included information to build and sell a complete product. In October 2010, SandForce introduced its second-generation SSD controllers called the SF-2000 family focused on enterprise applications. Enhancements included: SATA 3.0 (6 Gbit/s), faster speeds, security, and data protection features.
The client version of this second generation line was introduced in February 2011 with most of the same enhancements seen in the SF-2500.
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Announced in November 2013, the SF 3700 family of controllers supported triple-level cell flash for higher capacity and NVM Express for improved performance at the high end. Sample engineering boards with the PCIe x4 (gen 2) model of this controller found 1,800 MB/sec read/write sequential speeds and 150K/80K random IOPS. A Kingston HyperX "prosumer" product using this controller was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show 2014 and promised similar performance. Mushkin also showcased products using the SF 3700 series at CES, highlighting its M.2 Helix series up to 480 GB (512 GiB) and up to 2 TB in for the 2.5 inch format.
The SF 3700 family consists of:
SF3719 — SATA 6 Gbit/s + x2 PCIe; "entry level" product with identical connectivity but announced to have fewer firmware features than the "mainstream" SF3729; precise differences in features not yet disclosed
SF3729 — SATA 6 Gbit/s + x2 PCIe
SF3739 — x4 PCIe (gen 2); support for optional battery or supercapacitor "full power fail" protection
SF3759 — "full enterprise feature set" (no further details released yet)
All these models are actually made of the same die (produced in a 40 nm process), an area of which goes unused in the lower-end products. The RAISE technology in the SF 3700 series was upgraded from protecting against a single page or block failure (in the previous series) to "multiple pages and blocks or up to a full die" with the so-called RAISE level 2. Additionally, the new chips reserve less than a full die for redundancy (so-called "fractional RAISE").
Marketing programs
In May 2010, SandForce introduced the "SandForce Driven" program.
The "Intel Inside" program and the BASF advertising slogan that said "We don't make the things you use, we make the things you use better" are similar examples of companies promoting a component inside the end product. SandForce created a logo that partners can display on the SSD or their advertising to indicate a SandForce controller is inside and uses a SandForce-written firmware. In October 2013, there were 38 members of the SandForce Driven program.
SandForce created the "SandForce Trusted" program in January 2011, which identified approved vendors that provide equipment, tools, and services compatible with SandForce SSD Processors. It is a form of approved vendor list that helps SSD OEMs and manufacturers get a higher level of service and support.
