From HighPoint, 4-Bay SSD6540 End-to-End PCIe 3.0 x16 External NVMe RAID

HighPoint Technologies, Inc. launches the SSD6540 end-to-end PCIe 3.0 x16 external NVMe RAID storage solution.

The SSD6540 is a compact, 4-bay external NVMe RAID enclosure. Each of the four drive bays features dedicated PCIe 3.0 x4 bus bandwidth to ensure each U.2 SSD operates at peak performance. It is offered as a complete, stand-alone solution, and includes a compact 4-bay NVMe U.2 enclosure, PCIe 3.0 x16 controller card with external SFF- 8644 connectors, two SFF-8644 8x data cables, and all necessary fastening and power accessories. Any PC platform with a free, dedicated PCIe 3.0 x16 slot can now experience the true performance capabilities of NVMe technology.

SSD6540 rear

Fast external storage solution
The SSD6540 NVMe architecture provided dedicated PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth for each drive-bay; this allows each U.2 SSD to interface directly with the platform’s CPU to ensure maximum transfer performance.

The integrated NVMe RAID technology allows customers can easily configure one or more RAID arrays to satisfy the demands of a variety of high-density storage applications including media production and rendering, scientific/R&D platforms and developmental workstations.

The SSD6540 supports TRIM, which streamlines performance and enhances the lifespan of each SSD by efficiently managing read and rewrite requests to the flash memory.

Integrated LCD panel for temperature monitoring and fan control
Each SSD6540 features a built-in LCD screen that displays environmental conditions in real-time. Customers can access the temperature of storage configurations and adjust fan speed to ensure the NVMe drives stay healthy and run optimally. In addition, a built in alarm can be set to activate in the case of temperature or enclosure related warning or failure.

Compact, portable form factor
The SSD6540’s is for applications that require a compact, portable storage solution. The enclosure and controller can be moved freely between any PC-based workstation with a free PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, and the removable drive trays streamline integration, maintenance or upgrade procedures. The small hardware footprint is suitable for fieldwork, and can be transported to a client’s location to live-demo a media project or deliver finished product.

NVMe RAID management
NVMe Manager features TRIM support, and S.M.A.R.T. monitoring with total Terabyte Written (TBW) tracking. S.M.A.R.T. monitoring allows to check the temperature, voltage and TBW of each NVMe SSD. The interface updates attribute data in real time, and can be be configured to notify you by email, in the event of an error condition or threshold warning.

NVMe Manager can also analyze PCIe bandwidth available to the SSD6540’s NVMe controller, which allows customers to select the slot capable of best maximizing transfer speeds.

The SSD6540 will be shipping mid-May from North American retail and distribution channels.

Pricing: $999 MSRP.

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