NVM Express Releases 1.2 Specification

NVM Express, Inc., announced the release of its 1.2 specification on November 12, 2014. NVM Express (NVMe) 1.2 extends the specification to a new level of enterprise and client functionality.

The NVMe 1.2 specification adds features for both enterprise and client systems. For client systems, additions include enhanced power management and other mobile oriented capabilities, such as a feature that supports designing high performance SSDs without local DRAM. This reduces SSD costs and enables smaller BGA (Ball Grid Array) based form factors. These features allow the compelling performance of NVMe to be used in solutions like fan-less two-in-one laptops.

For enterprises, there are expanded capabilities including live firmware updates and a feature that provides reduced latency when many NVMe devices are used in an environment with one or more PCIe switches.

The NVM Express 1.2 specification is available for download at http://nvmexpress.org/specifications/.

NVM Express, Inc. also announced it is also developing specifications to provide a management command set for NVMe devices and to bring the benefits of NVM Express to fabrics such as Ethernet, InfiniBand™ and Fibre Channel. The Management Interface Specification will define a software interface to support IT managers’ ability to manage PCIe SSDs. NVM Express over Fabrics will extend the benefits of NVMe to usages with hundreds of solid state drives where using a fabric as an attach point is more appropriate than using PCI Express. The Management Interface specification is targeted for publication in the first quarter of 2015, and the NVM Express over Fabrics specification is targeted for availability in the second half of 2015.