Intel SSD 520 - USB 3.0 Wear Leveling & Garbage Collection

[ATher]

Hello,

I was hoping I could get some more educated opinions and preferably facts about a wear leveling concern I'm having with my SSD.

Usage: Running multiple VMs off a SSD connected by USB 3.0.

Device: http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/product-specifications/ssd-520-specifica... Intel 520 120GB SSD (SSDSC2CW120A3)

Concern: I am unable to find whether or not the device itself will do wear leveling independently since I have been told USB devices cannot pass the commands to the device and also if it its able to do garbage collection while on USB 3.0.

Thanks for your time,

Adam

[ATher]

Bump.

[ATher]

Some additional info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wear_leveling# Dynamic_wear_leveling Wear leveling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Witch brought me to http://www.eettaiwan.com/STATIC/PDF/200808/EETOL_2008IIC_Spansion_AN_13.pdf http://www.eettaiwan.com/STATIC/PDF/200808/EETOL_2008IIC_Spansion_AN_13.pdf

This describes the methods of mapping that allow LBAs from the host to be written evenly. My question is will this mapping happen over USB 3.0?

[Jose_H_Intel1]

Thank you for posting your question.

Wear leveling is inherent to the SSD itself; so, it does not really matter where the drive is connected to.

Please allow us more time to confirm about Garbage Collection.

Message was edited by: Joe

[ATher]

Hello Joe,

Thanks for clearing this up. So it would be safe to run ESXi off a SSD connected via USB 3.0? Safe for the SSD? I have a screenshot that may help the TRIM question.

• The above screen shot was taken while the SSD was mounted in a very cheap and basic USB 3.0 <-> SATA3 connector over USB 3.0 not USB 2.0.
• The drive was attached with the "Quick Removal" policy not the "Better Performance" policy.
• The controller device is a http://www.bizlinktech.com/industries/detail.aspx?Type=100&CId=4&Id=128 Bizlink Device.
• The device driver was windows 7 supplied, shown below.

http://i.imgur.com/0NiMmvq.png