Endurance considerations for Flash Storage Devices - IBM Systems

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H212665

Symptom

Flash Technology

IBM now sells and supports multiple types of devices that contain flash memory. These include solid state drives, IBM High IOPS Adapters, and exFlash Storage Dual In-Line Memory Modules (DIMMs). In the future, Redundant Array of Independent Disk (RAID) controllers will also use flash memory. These flash devices have a finite life span depending on usage and thus have been designated as devices with wear (usage) limits. The purpose of this document is to capture, in one (1) location, the warranty and limitations language used in the announcement letters, the wear reporting tools for each device, and the service requirements to be presented to development.

Warranty

Devices have a one (1) year warranty or take on the warranty of the system in which they are installed whichever is greater. In addition, there are wear (usage) limitations.

Limitations

Solid-state memory cells have an intrinsic, finite number of program/erase cycles that each cell can incur. As a result, solid-state storage has a maximum amount of program/erase cycles to which it can be subjected. IBM's warranty for the solid-state storage is limited to devices that have not reached the maximum guaranteed number of program/erase cycles, as documented in the Official Published Specifications for the product. A drive that reaches this limit may fail to operate according to its specifications.

Links to brand published specification sheets - SSD:

http://www.ibm.com/systems/x/options/storage/solidstate/index.html

Links to brand published specification sheets - PCIe Flash:

IBM System x PICe Adapters

(where Solid-State drive= Solid-State Drive, PCIe = Peripheral Component Interconnect Express)

Affected configurations

The system is configured with one or more of the following IBM options:

• 100 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option part number 00W1120, any model
• 100 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option part number 68Y7771, any model
• 100 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF G2 Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 00W1125, any XceedIOPS2 SATA
• 100 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 00W1130, any XceedIOPS2 SATA
• 120 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 00AJ000, any Intel Wolfsville S35
• 120 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 00AJ020, any model
• 120 GB SATA 3.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option part number 00AJ460, any model
• 120 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC G3 Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option part number 00AJ171, any model
• 128 GB 2.5-inch SATA MLC Hot-Swap Entry Solid-State drive, option part number 90Y8648, any replacement part number
• 128 GB 2.5-inch SATA Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 90Y8668, any replacement part number
• 128 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option part number 00W1223, any p400e
• 128 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option part number 49Y5835, any p400e
• 128 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Hot-Swap MLC Solid-State drive Express, option part number 00Y3664, any model
• 128 GB SATA Solid-State drive Conv., option part number 00W1291, any model
• 128 GB SATA Solid-State drive Conv., option part number 90Y8984, any model
• 128 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option part number 00W1222, any P400e
• 128 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 90Y8668, any P400e
• 128 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Slim Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 90Y8648, any P400e
• 15.8 GB 2.5-inch SATA Solid-State drive B-NHS, option part number 43W7614, any replacement part number
• 15.8 GB 2.5-inch SATA Solid-State drive Dual Caseless, option part number 43W7606, any replacement part number
• 200 GB 1.8-inch SATA MLC Solid-State drive, option part number 43W7746, any replacement part number
• 200 GB SAS 2.5-inch SFF G2 Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 49Y6129, any Optimus SAS
• 200 GB SAS 2.5-inch SFF Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 49Y6144, any Optimus SAS
• 200 GB SATA 1.8-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 41Y8366, any model
• 200 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option part number 49Y6119, any model
• 200 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 41Y8331, any model
• 200 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 41Y8351, any model
• 200 GB SAS Solid-State drive Conv., option part number 00W1306, any model
• 200 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 43W7718, any replacement part number
• 200 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 43W7742, any replacement part number
• 240 GB SATA 1.8-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 00AJ045, any model
• 240 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC G3 Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option part number 00AJ176, any model
• 240 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 00AJ005, any P400e
• 240 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 00AJ025, any model
• 240 GB SATA 3.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option part number 00AJ465, any model
• 256 GB 2.5-inch SATA MLC Hot-Swap Entry Solid-State drive, option part number 90Y8643, any replacement part number
• 256 GB 2.5-inch SATA SS, 6 Gb/s, Solid-State drive, option part number 90Y8663, any replacement part number
• 256 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option part number 00W1227, any P400e
• 256 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option part number 00W1228, any p400e
• 256 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Hot-Swap MLC Solid-State drive Express, option part number 00Y3663, any model
• 256 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option part number 90Y8663, any P400e
• 256 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Slim-HS Solid-State drive, option part number 90Y8643, any model
• 256 GB SATA 2.5-inch Solid-State drive, option part number 00W1297, any P400e
• 256 GB SATA 2.5-inch Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, any C400 Solid-State drive L1
• 256 GB SATA Solid-State drive Conv. option part number 00W1296, any model
• 256 GB SFF SATA Simple-Swap SD - Enterprise Value, option part number 90Y8989, any model
• 31.4 GB 2.5-inch SATA Solid-State drive B-NHS, option 43W7618, any replacement part number
• 31.4 GB 2.5-inch SATA Solid-State drive Value G2 Hot-Swap, option 41Y8264, any replacement part number
• 31.4 GB 2.5-inch SATA Solid-State drive Value G2 Hot-Swap, option 43W7648, any replacement part number
• 31.4 GB 2.5-inch SATA Solid-State drive Value IDP Simple-Swap, option 49Y4510, any replacement part number
• 400 GB SAS 2.5-inch SFF G2 Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 49Y6134, any Optimus SAS
• 400 GB SAS 2.5-inch SFF Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 49Y6149, any Optimus SAS
• 400 GB SATA 1.8-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 41Y8371, any model
• 400 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option 49Y6124, any model
• 400 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 41Y8336, any model
• 400 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 41Y8356, any model
• 400 GB SAS Solid-State drive Conv., option 00W1311, any model
• 400 GB SATA 1.8-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 00AJ050, any model
• 400 GB SATA 1.8-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 90Y4318, any model
• 480 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option 00AJ330, any model
• 480 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC G3 Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option 00AJ181, any model
• 480 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 00AJ010, any P400e
• 480 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 00AJ030, any model
• 480 GB SATA 3.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option 00AJ470, any model
• 50 GB 1.8-inch SATA NHS Solid-State drive, option 43W7734, any replacement part number
• 50 GB 2.5-inch SATA High Perf B-NHS Solid-State drive, option 43W7706, any replacement part number
• 50 GB 2.5-inch SATA High Perf G1 Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 43W7722, any replacement part number
• 50 GB 2.5-inch SATA High Perf G2 Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 43W7714, any replacement part number
• 50 GB 3.5-inch SATA High Perf DP Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 43W7698, any replacement part number
• 50 GB SATA 1.8-inch MLC Solid-State drive, option 43W7726, any replacement part number
• 512 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option 49Y5993, any P400e
• 512 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Hot-Swap MLC Solid-State drive Express, option 00W1194, any model
• 512 GB SATA 2.5-inch Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, any model
• 512 GB SATA Solid-State drive Conv., option 00W1301, any model
• 512 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 49Y5854, any P400e
• 512 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Slim-HS Solid-State drive, option 49Y5844, any P400e
• 64 GB SATA 1.8-inch Solid-State drive, option 49Y5834, any P400e
• 64 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Hot-Swap MLC Solid-State drive Express, option 00W1184, any model
• 64 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 49Y5849, any P400e
• 64 GB SATA 2.5-inch SFF Slim-HS Solid-State drive, option 49Y5839, any P400e
• 64 GB SATA Solid-State drive Conv., option 00W1286, any
• 80 GB SATA 1.8-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 00AJ040, any model
• 800 GB SAS 2.5-inch SFF G2 Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 49Y6139, any Optimus SAS
• 800 GB SAS 2.5-inch SFF Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 49Y6154, any Optimus SAS
• 800 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 41Y8341, any model
• 800 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Simple-Swap Solid-State drive, option 41Y8361, any model
• 800 GB SAS Solid-State drive Conv., option 00W1316, any model
• 800 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC G3 Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option 00AJ186, any model
• 800 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 00AJ015, any P400e
• 800 GB SATA 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Solid-State drive, option 00AJ035, any model
• 800 GB SATA 3.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option 00AJ475, any model
• 400 GB SATA 1.8-inch MLC Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option 49Y6124, any 49Y6123
• 400 GB SAS 2.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option 49Y6134, any 49Y6135
• 400 GB SAS 2.5-inch MLC Simple-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option 49Y6149, any 49Y6150
• 400 GB SAS 3.5-inch MLC Hot-Swap Enterprise Value Solid-State drive, option 00W1311, any 00W1312

This tip is not system specific.

This tip is not software specific.

The system has the symptom described above.

Workaround

For Solid-State drives with issues, the following steps must be taken to determine if the drive has exceeded the drive's rated endurance (rated number of program/erase cycles). The drive's endurance (or wear) status can be determined by running the IBM SSD Wear Gauge Command Line Interface (CLI) Utility.

Where to get the IBM SSD Wear Gauge CLI Utility

This utility can be downloaded from either the IBM Support Portal or IBM Fix Central.

IBM Support Portal

http://www.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/support

Navigate to the IBM Support Portal Web site. Type IBM SSD Wear Gauge CLI Utility in the Search support and downloads field (and type Enter) to find the latest version of the utility. Follow the links to the file required for the application (for example, Microsoft Windows, Linux, VMware). Follow the instructions for downloading the files.

IBM Fix Central

http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/

Navigate to the IBM Fix Central Web site. Type IBM SSD Wear Gauge CLI Utility in the Search Fix Central field (and type Enter) to find the latest version of the utility (sort results by Newest first). Click on the link to the file required for your application (for example, Microsoft Windows, Linux, VMware). Follow the instructions for downloading the files.

After the files have been downloaded, open the README file and follow the instructions to run the program.

Instructions for running the program as a standalone package on Microsoft Windows:

1. Run the executable by double clicking on the file icon, or by typing the name of the executable file at a command prompt.
2. Select Perform Update.
3. Click Next.
4. Click Update. A pop-up window displays the current usage of the detected Solid-State drives.
5. Click Exit to end the utility.

Instructions for running the program as a standalone package on Linux:

1. Open a terminal window.
2. Type the name of the executable file at a command prompt.
3. The window displays the current usage of the detected Solid-State drives.
4. Close the terminal window.

The output of the executable file is a report similar to this report:

Drives that report '0%' for the Life Remaining Gauge have exceeded their warranted endurance.

Additional information

Solid-state memory cells have an intrinsic, finite number of program/erase cycles that each cell can incur. As a result, solid-state storage has a maximum amount of program/erase cycles to which it can be subjected. IBM's warranty for the solid-state storage is limited to devices that have not reached the maximum guaranteed number of program/erase cycles, as documented in the Official Published Specifications for the product. A drive that reaches this limit may fail to operate according to its specifications.

Running the IBM SSD Wear Gauge CLI Utility will provide information as to whether or not the solid state drive has exceeded its warranted endurance. This information will allow the Service Agent to properly manage the user's claim.