Key Value Command Set Specification

Command Set

The individual command set specifications allow NVM Express to isolate and independently evolve command sets for emerging technologies such as Zoned Namespaces, Key Value and eventually computational storage. The NVMe specifications before NVMe 2.0 included all command set details. NVMe 2.0 separates these command sets into different specifications.

The NVMe Base specification defines the Admin Command Set, which provides essential administrative and management commands, including identify and get-log-page.

What is the Key Value Command Set specification?

The NVMe Key Value (NVMe-KV) Command Set has been standardized as one of the new I/O Command Sets. NVMe-KV allows access to data on an NVMe SSD using a key rather than a block address. The NVMe-KV Command Set provides the key to store a corresponding value on non-volatile media, then retrieves that value from the media by specifying the corresponding key. NVMe-KV allows users to access key-value data without the costly and time-consuming overhead of additional translation tables between keys and logical blocks.

As of August 2024, NVMe is a set of the following eleven specifications:

  • NVM Express® Base Specification, Revision 2.1
  • Command Set Specifications:
    • NVM Express® NVM Command Set Specification, Revision 1.1
    • NVM Express® NVMe Zoned Namespaces Command Set Specification, Revision 1.2
    • NVM Express® Key Value Command Set Specification, Revision 1.1
    • NVM Express® Subsystem Local Memory Command Set Specification, Revision 1.0
    • NVM Express® Computational Programs Command Set Specification, Revision 1.0
  • Transport Specifications:
    • NVM Express® NVMe over PCIe Transport Specification, Revision 1.1
    • NVM Express® RDMA Transport Specification, Revision 1.1
    • NVM Express® TCP Transport Specification, Revision 1.1
  • NVM Express® NVM Express Management Interface Specification, Revision 2.0
  • NVM Express® NVMe Boot Specification, Revision 1.1

The NVM Express® Base Specification, Revision 2.1 reorganizes sections to distinguish requirements on functionality common to PCIe® and Fabrics implementations, specific to PCIe implementations, and specific to Fabrics implementations.