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Modern SSDs are more than just storage devices—they often include powerful ARM Cortex cores (typically 2-4 cores running at ~1GHz) and run real-time operating systems like ThreadX or even Linux. These capabilities enable computational storage, where processing happens directly on the SSD, reducing latency and improving efficiency.
A USENIX research paper demonstrated a “Cognitive SSD” that embeds deep learning models directly into the drive, enabling in-place graph searches and optimizing data retrieval. This approach reduced latency by 69% compared to traditional CPU+SSD setups.
🔗 Reference: USENIX Paper on Cognitive SSD
You Should Know: How SSDs Execute On-Device Processing
1. Check Your SSD’s Firmware & Capabilities
Use NVMe CLI to inspect your SSD’s controller and firmware:
sudo nvme list List NVMe drives sudo nvme id-ctrl /dev/nvme0 -H Detailed controller info
2. Embedded Linux on SSDs
Some SSDs run Linux. If you have a drive with an accessible OS, you might interact with it via:
lsblk List block devices sudo smartctl -a /dev/nvme0n1 Check SSD health & firmware
3. Computational Storage Use Cases
- In-Storage Processing (ISP): Offload database operations (e.g., SQL filtering) to the SSD.
- AI at the Edge: Deploy lightweight ML models directly on SSDs for faster inference.
4. Simulating SSD Compute (Emulation)
Use QEMU to emulate an ARM-based SSD controller:
qemu-system-arm -M virt -cpu cortex-a53 -kernel zImage -drive file=ssd_firmware.img,format=raw
5. Benchmarking SSD Compute vs CPU
Compare latency using `fio` (Flexible I/O Tester):
fio --name=ssd-test --rw=randread --ioengine=libaio --direct=1 --bs=4k --numjobs=4 --runtime=60 --time_based --group_reporting
What Undercode Say
The future of storage is intelligent SSDs that process data locally, reducing reliance on CPUs. Expect more:
– Linux-capable SSDs for edge computing.
– FPGA-enhanced drives (like Pure Storage’s architecture).
– On-device AI models for real-time analytics.
Key Commands Recap:
nvme list List NVMe drives smartctl -a /dev/nvme0n1 SSD health check fio --name=test --rw=randread Benchmark I/O qemu-system-arm ... Emulate ARM SSD
Expected Output:
A shift toward self-processing SSDs that handle computations internally, reducing latency and improving efficiency in AI, databases, and edge computing.
🔗 Further Reading: USENIX Cognitive SSD Paper
References:
Reported By: Laurie Kirk – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
