- DapuStor has introduced a 245TB QLC PCIe Gen5 SSD for AI workloads
- Company 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 within hyperscale data centers and in response to this, DapuStor has announced a PCIe Gen5 QLC SSD that scales to 245TB.
Customers are already using 122TB versions of the drive, 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 volumes of embeddings, logs, and videos during AI training and inference. That data is accessed repeatedly rather than archived, so dense flash storage is a better option than mechanical drives.
DapuStor joins a select group
DapuStor’s SSD uses QLC NAND. By storing four bits per cell, it increases capacity per wafer compared to TLC, improving density and cost-effectiveness.
Previous concerns about QLC endurance and performance were addressed through controller design, firmware management, and data location techniques.
This announcement makes DapuStor the eighth vendor to reveal an SSD at or around the 245TB mark.
Kioxia has shown off a 246TB LC9 SSD, while Sandisk has unveiled a 256TB model for AI workloads. Solidigm has confirmed plans for 245TB drives and Micron has described 122TB PCIe Gen5 SSDs as part of efforts to reduce reliance on hard drives.
Huawei has approached the problem differently, combining high-capacity SSDs with controller techniques to reduce reliance on expensive HBM on AI systems.
Samsung has outlined roadmaps that extend beyond current capabilities, and archrival SK Hynix has shown off the PS1101, its own 245TB PCIe Gen5 enterprise drive.
The move toward higher-capacity SSDs reflects changes in the way AI data is stored. Training data sets, inference results, and logs are frequently accessed, favoring flash technology 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 scale keep them limited to hyperscale environments, where flash capacity is becoming a critical resource.
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