SimpleTech Zeus Ultra User Manual

Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drive  
Product Information Datasheet  
The information in this document is private to SimpleTech, Inc., and shall not be used, copied, reproduced,  
or disclosed, in whole or in part, without the written consent of SimpleTech, which can only be granted by  
the Product Manager responsible for this product.  
CONTENTS  
Contents _______________________________________________________iii  
List of Figures __________________________________________________ v  
List of Tables ___________________________________________________vi  
Product Description______________________________________________ 1  
Overview............................................................................................................................................ 1  
Compatibility ..............................................................................................................................2  
Compliance and Conformity.......................................................................................................2  
Standard Features............................................................................................................................. 3  
Optional Features .............................................................................................................................. 4  
Physical Characteristics..................................................................................................................... 5  
Drive Assembly Exterior Dimensions.........................................................................................5  
Drive Assembly Weight..............................................................................................................8  
Environmental Characteristics ........................................................................................................... 8  
Temperature, Humidity and Altitude ..........................................................................................8  
Shock and Vibration...................................................................................................................9  
Electrical Characteristics ................................................................................................................... 9  
Operating Voltage......................................................................................................................9  
Power Consumption.................................................................................................................10  
Operation and Performance Characteristics.................................................................................... 10  
ATA (IDE) Bus Modes..............................................................................................................10  
Mount Time..............................................................................................................................10  
Seek Time................................................................................................................................10  
Data Transfer Rate ..................................................................................................................11  
Endurance................................................................................................................................11  
Reliability..................................................................................................................................11  
Functional Description __________________________________________ 13  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
iii  
Zeus SSD Functional Blocks........................................................................................................... 13  
ATA (IDE) Bus Interface Block ................................................................................................ 13  
SSD Control Block................................................................................................................... 17  
Flash Memory.......................................................................................................................... 18  
Principles of Operation .................................................................................................................... 19  
Operating Modes............................................................................................................................. 20  
I/O Primary and Secondary ATA (IDE) Modes........................................................................ 20  
ATA Commands .............................................................................................................................. 21  
ATA Command Flow................................................................................................................ 21  
Standard ATA Commands....................................................................................................... 22  
Optional ATA Command Support............................................................................................ 23  
Vendor-Specific ATA Commands............................................................................................ 25  
Installation ____________________________________________________ 27  
System Requirements ..................................................................................................................... 27  
Drive Configuration.......................................................................................................................... 27  
Configuring 2.5-inch Form Factor Zeus SSD........................................................................... 28  
Configuring 3.5-inch Form Factor Zeus SSD........................................................................... 29  
Installing Zeus SSDs....................................................................................................................... 30  
Formatting Zeus SSDs for Windows, Linux and Other OS Environments............................... 30  
Upgrading Zeus SSD Firmware....................................................................................................... 30  
Contact and Ordering Information _________________________________ 31  
Contacting SimpleTech ................................................................................................................... 31  
Ordering Information........................................................................................................................ 31  
Acronyms and Abbreviations _____________________________________ 33  
Index _________________________________________________________ 37  
Certification and Warranty _________________________ Inside Back Cover  
iv  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
LIST OF FIGURES  
1. 2.5-inch Zeus SSD Assembly Drawing........................................................................... 6  
2. 3.5-inch Zeus SSD Assembly Drawing........................................................................... 7  
3. 44-pin ATA (IDE) Bus Connector.................................................................................. 13  
4. 40-pin ATA (IDE) Bus/DC Power Combination Connector ........................................... 14  
5. Master/Slave Setting for 2.5-inch Zeus SSDs .............................................................. 28  
6. Master/Slave Setting for 3.5-inch Zeus SSDs .............................................................. 29  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
v
LIST OF TABLES  
1. 2.5 and 3.5-inch Drive Assembly Dimensions................................................................ 5  
2. Environmental Conditions............................................................................................... 8  
3. Zeus SSD Typical Power Consumption (watts/mA) ..................................................... 10  
4. ATA (IDE) Connector Pinout Configuration .................................................................. 14  
5. Zeus SSD Capacity ...................................................................................................... 18  
6. ATA (IDE) Bus Addressing Modes ............................................................................... 21  
7. Supported ATA Commands.......................................................................................... 22  
8. SSD Identify Drive Information ..................................................................................... 23  
9. Sanitize Standards Compliance ................................................................................... 26  
10. ATA (IDE) Cable Requirements ................................................................................... 27  
vi  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Overview  
Product Description  
1 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION  
1.1 OVERVIEW  
SimpleTech’s Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives (SSDs) incorporate advanced Single-  
Level Cell (SLC) NAND flash memory technology to deliver state-of-the-art, non-volatile  
mass storage devices. Additional software device drivers are not required. Zeus SSDs  
are available in both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch form factors, with standard 44 and 40 pin IDE/  
ATA interfaces, respectively. Zeus SSDs are fully ATA-5 compliant and conform to the  
same mechanical and mounting requirements as standard rotating drives—making Zeus  
SSDs easy-to-install, drop-in replacements for standard IDE/ATA-compliant hard disk  
drives (HDDs).  
At the heart of the Zeus SSD is the Zeus controller IC—providing the ATA interface to the  
host, and the IDE interface to the drive’s local flash storage media. The Zeus controller’s  
integrated DMA controller interfaces with system memory to facilitate the seamless  
transfer of data between the host and the SSD.  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
1
Product Description  
Overview  
Standard Zeus SSDs are available with unformatted memory capacities ranging from 4  
to 128 GB. Designed to operate in harsh environments, Zeus SSDs excel in ruggedness,  
reliability, compatibility and portability, and are ideal for applications that require high  
reliability and high tolerance to shock, vibration, humidity, altitude and temperature. And  
since there are no moving parts, Zeus SSDs are completely maintenance-free.  
Zeus SSDs can operate at sustained data transfer rates of up to 60 MB per second. With  
power consumption kept to a minimum, Zeus SSDs can be powered from a single 5 volt  
source. The drive’s solid state design eliminates electromechanical noise and delay  
inherent in traditional magnetic rotating media. Utilizing SimpleTech’s patent-pending  
wear-leveling and bad-block mapping algorithms, Zeus SSDs ensure the consistency,  
accuracy, and integrity of user data. Superior data reliability is achieved through  
embedded error detection and correction code (EDC/ECC). The non-recoverable error  
rate of Zeus SSDs is less than 1 error per 1014 bits read.  
Zeus SSDs offer powerful user-customizable data sanitization (purge) features.  
Supporting both sanitized erase/fill and non-recoverable sanitization options, Zeus SSDs  
can be configured to remove data from the drive, freeing storage space for later reuse,  
or to remove data and destroy the storage media—making the SSD unusable and data  
retrieval impossible. The drives’s data security features comply with Department of  
Defense (DoD) and US military data security standards, including AFSSI 5020, AR 380-  
19, NAVSO P-5239-26, NISPOM DoD 5220.22-M and NSA 130-2.  
1.1.1 Compatibility  
Zeus SSDs can be installed in any machine running an operating system supporting ATA  
(IDE) bus specification standards.  
1.1.2 Compliance and Conformity  
The Zeus SSDs comply, in whole or in part, with the following standards:  
Commercial  
AS/NZS 3548 Class B, BSMI CNS 13438 Class B, CAN/CSA-V3/  
2001.04 (VCCI), CE (Conformite Europenne), CISPR 22 Class B,  
EN 55022 Class B, EN 61000-3-2, EN 61000-3-3, FCC Part 15  
Class B, UL (Underwriter’s Laboratory), NEBS Level 3, IEC  
61000-4-2, IEC 61000-4-3, IEC 61000-4-4, IEC 61000-4-5, IEC  
61000-4-6, IEC 61000-4-8, IEC 61000-4-11  
Military  
DoD 5220.22-M, MIL-STD-810F, NSA 130-2, AR 380-19, AFSSI  
5020, Navso-P 5239, NEBS Level 3  
2
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Standard Features  
Product Description  
1.2 STANDARD FEATURES  
ATA/IDE Interface  
Conforms to ATA-5 Specification Standard  
Performance  
Fast initialization  
Supports PIO modes 0 through 4  
Supports Ultra DMA modes 0 through 4  
Burst read/write performance up to 66 MB/sec  
Sustained read/write performance up to 60 MB/sec  
Field upgradeable firmware  
Reliability  
Solid state design  
10-year data retention  
Manual and automatic self-diagnostic tests  
Embedded EDC/ECC (Error Detection and Error Correction)  
SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) endurance and  
reliability monitoring  
Dependable operation under unstable power conditions  
ATA bus connectors rated for over 10,000 insertions  
Rugged, impact-resistant casing  
7 year warranty  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
3
Product Description  
Optional Features  
Endurance  
Supports 2,000,000 write/erase cycles  
Supports unlimited read cycles  
Patent-pending wear-leveling algorithms  
Bad-block mapping algorithms  
Physical  
2GB to 128GB storage capacities available (unformatted)  
Industry standard 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch HDD form factors  
Compact design — only 9.5 mm thick (all models/capacities)  
Environmental  
Meets or exceeds commercial and industrial temperature, humidity and altitude  
requirements  
Complies with MIL-STD 810F requirements for shock and vibration  
Compliance  
Meets NEBS Level 3 requirements for telco electrical environments  
Meets U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and DoD security erase and sanitization (purge)  
guidelines  
1.3 OPTIONAL FEATURES  
SMART status monitoring (see “SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting  
Technology)” on page 23)  
Sanitization (see “Sanitize Erase/Fill” on page 25)  
4
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Physical Characteristics  
Product Description  
1.4 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS  
1.4.1 Drive Assembly Exterior Dimensions  
Zeus SSD internal components are housed in precision machined aluminum alloy  
enclosures. The outside dimensions of 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch form factor drives are  
provided in Table 1. The 2.5-inch drive assembly is illustrated in Figure 1 on page 6. The  
3.5-inch drive assembly is illustrated in Figure 2 on page 7.  
Table 1. 2.5 and 3.5-inch Drive Assembly Dimensions  
2.5-inch SSD  
3.5-inch SSD  
Thickness  
0.0374 in (9.5 mm)  
2.75 in (69.8 mm)  
3.94 in (100.2 mm)  
0.0374 in (9.5 mm)  
4.00 in (101.60 mm)  
5.79 in (147 mm)  
Width  
Length (maximum)  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
5
Product Description  
Physical Characteristics  
Figure 1. 2.5-inch Zeus SSD Assembly Drawing  
6
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Physical Characteristics  
Product Description  
Figure 2. 3.5-inch Zeus SSD Assembly Drawing  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
7
Product Description  
Environmental Characteristics  
1.4.2 Drive Assembly Weight  
The weight of a Zeus SSD varies, depending on the specific set of design characteristics  
of the drive. A standard 32 GB, 2.5-inch Zeus SSD weighs approximately 0.322 lb  
(0.120Kg). A 72 GB SSD weighs 0.670 lb (0.250Kg). The following characteristics must  
be taken into consideration in order to determine the exact weight of a drive.  
Storage capacity  
IC stacking technology (if used)  
Flash controller/memory configuration  
Form factor  
1.5 ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS  
To validate the SSD’s portability and suitability for operation in harsh mobile  
environments, Zeus SSDs are subjected to a series of environmental tests.  
1.5.1 Temperature, Humidity and Altitude  
Zeus SSDs (all models) operate without degradation within the ambient temperature,  
relative humidity and altitude ranges specified in Table 2.  
Table 2. Environmental Conditions  
Operating Temperature  
Commercial:  
Industrial:  
Storage:  
0° to 70° C (32° to 158° F)  
-40° to 85° C (-40° to 185° F)  
-55° to 95° C (-67° to 203° F)  
5 - 95%, non-condensing  
Relative Humidity  
Altitude  
80,000 ft.  
8
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Electrical Characteristics  
Product Description  
1.5.2 Shock and Vibration  
In setting the initial baseline for shock and vibration test levels, the Zeus SSD was  
exposed to increasingly harsh levels of stress until the drive’s failure levels were  
determined. The tests were then repeated using the stress levels thereby established, to  
verify that the SSD would meet these specifications consistently. This process  
established the shock and vibration levels that have been used in subsequent shock and  
vibration testing.  
1.5.2.1 Mechanical Shock  
Zeus SSDs are shock-tested in accordance with MIL-STD-810F and operate as  
specified, without degradation, when subjected to the following:  
Test Condition:  
Three 50G shocks (peak value, 11 ms duration, half-sine  
waveform) along the x, y and z axes.  
Test Result:  
1,500G operating shock  
1.5.2.2 Random Vibration  
SimpleTech Zeus SSDs are vibration-tested in accordance with MIL-STD-810F and  
operate as specified, without degradation, when subjected to the following:  
Test Condition:  
Random vibration, between 20Hz and 2,000Hz along the x,  
y and z axes.  
Test Result:  
16.3G operating vibration  
1.6 ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS  
1.6.1 Operating Voltage  
Zeus SSDs require an input voltage of +5.0 Vdc + 5% (4.75 - 5.25 Vdc).  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
9
Product Description  
Operation and Performance Characteristics  
1.6.2 Power Consumption  
The amount of power consumed by Zeus SSDs is determined by the storage (memory)  
capacity of the drive, and the flash controller/memory configuration of the drive. Table 3  
lists (by capacity) the power consumption of Zeus SSDs during typical operations at 5  
Vdc.  
Table 3. Zeus SSD Typical Power Consumption (watts/mA)  
a
a
a
a
b
8 GB  
16 GB  
24 GB  
32 G  
72 GB  
2.50 watts/  
431 mA  
2.15 watts/  
431 mA  
2.15 watts/  
431 mA  
2.15 watts/  
502 mA  
3.63 watts/  
726 mA  
Sustained Read/  
Write  
c
3.00 watts/  
600 mA  
2.92 watts/  
583 mA  
3.38 watts/  
675 mA  
3.71 watts/  
741 mA  
7.43 watts/  
1485 mA  
Sanitized Erase/Fill  
(running low power option)  
c
a. 10-40 MB/sec  
b. 10-60 MB/sec  
c. Estimated value  
1.7 OPERATION AND PERFORMANCE  
CHARACTERISTICS  
1.7.1 ATA (IDE) Bus Modes  
Zeus SSDs support the following ATA operating modes:  
PIO Modes 0 through 4  
Ultra DMA Modes 0 through 4  
1.7.2 Mount Time  
The amount of time required to initialize and mount a Zeus SSD varies, depending on the  
operating system (Windows®, Linux®, etc.) in which the SSD is running and the storage  
capacity of the drive.  
1.7.3 Seek Time  
Unlike a magnetic rotating disk, the Zeus SSD has no moving head or platter. There is  
no seek time or rotational latency issues to contend with. Zeus SSDs dramatically  
improve transaction throughput, particularly for applications that are configured to take  
advantage of the characteristics of the drive.  
10  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Operation and Performance Characteristics  
Product Description  
1.7.4 Data Transfer Rate  
The data transfer rate of Zeus SSDs depends on the flash controller/flash memory  
configuration of the drive. The drive’s scalable architecture is capable of accommodating  
sustained and burst data transfer rates as follows:  
Sustained Read/Write Rates: 20, 30, 40 and 60 MB/sec  
Burst Read/Write Rate:  
66 MB/sec  
1.7.5 Endurance  
The useful life of a flash media is limited by the number of write/erase operations that can  
be performed on the media. Typically, the write/erase cycles for flash media ranges  
between 100,000 and 300,000. To extend the useful life of Zeus SSDs, special wear-  
leveling and bad-block mapping algorithms are integrated in the drive’s firmware—  
increasing the drive’s overall endurance rating to 2,000,000 write/erase cycles.  
1.7.5.1 Wear-Leveling  
The dynamic wear-leveling algorithm integrated in the Zeus SSD’s firmware guarantees  
that erase/write cycles are evenly distributed across all of the drive’s flash memory block  
locations. Wear-leveling eliminates repeated writes to the same physical flash memory  
location, thereby preventing blocks from wearing out prematurely.  
1.7.5.2 Bad-block Management  
The Zeus SSD’s bad-block mapping algorithm, replaces bad blocks with new ones from  
available spares. One percent (1%) of the Zeus SSD’s flash memory is held in reserve  
(spare block) for bad block replacement. Bad blocks in the media are flagged when  
detected. The next time an attempt is made to access a flagged block, it is immediately  
replaced by a spare block. The drive’s bad block mapping function enables data to be  
automatically transferred from a bad sector to an available spare block.  
1.7.5.3 Data Retention  
Data stored on Zeus SSDs remains valid for 10 years without requiring power support.  
1.7.6 Reliability  
1.7.6.1 Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF)  
The average time Zeus SSDs work without failure is typically greater than 2,300,000  
hours.  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
11  
Product Description  
Operation and Performance Characteristics  
1.7.6.2 Error Detection and Correction  
The SSD’s error detection code and error correcting code (EDC/ECC) helps maintain  
data integrity by allowing single or multiple bit corrections to the data stored in the drive’s  
flash array. If the data in the flash array is corrupted due to aging or during the  
programming process, EDC/ECC will compensate for the errors to ensure the delivery of  
accurate data to the host computer. The EDC/ECC engine on the Zeus SSD is capable  
of correcting up to two bytes in error and detecting up to 3 bytes in error. An extensive  
retry algorithm is also implemented on all Zeus SSDs, so that single event disturbances  
such as ESD or EMF occurring during a read operation can be readily overcome.  
1.7.6.3 Built-in Self Test  
During power-up, the SSD’s micro controller tests Zeus controller memory, and then  
performs a back-end status check to verify proper flash memory controller operations. If  
a fault condition is detected in the flash memory controller, the SSD’s status is reported  
as failed.  
12  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Zeus SSD Functional Blocks  
Functional Description  
2 FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION  
2.1 ZEUS SSD FUNCTIONAL BLOCKS  
SimpleTech™ Zeus series solid state drives comprise the following primary functional  
component blocks:  
ATA (IDE) Bus Interface  
SSD Control  
Flash Memory  
2.1.1 ATA (IDE) Bus Interface Block  
This section provides information on the ATA (IDE) Bus interface connectors used with  
2.5-inch and 3.5-inch Zeus SSD.  
SimpleTech Zeus SSDs have a plastic key to block pin 20 on the ATA bus  
(IDE) interface connector. Blocking pin 20 prevents possible damage to  
the SSD by making it impossible to connect to the drive improperly.  
2.1.1.1 44-pin ATA Bus Connector  
The 2.5-inch Zeus-series SSDs are equipped with a 44-pin ATA bus connector  
(Figure 3), located on the rear of the drive. DC power and IDE bus traffic is supplied  
through a non-shielded 44-conductor I/O cable.  
ATA standards require 80-conductor cables to be used for Ultra DMA  
modes 3 through 5. The length of the cable shall not exceed 18 inches.  
Figure 3. 44-pin ATA (IDE) Bus Connector  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
13  
Functional Description  
Zeus SSD Functional Blocks  
2.1.1.2 3.5-inch SSD ATA Interface and Power Connectors  
The 3.5-inch Zeus-series SSDs are equipped with a 40-pin, DC power/ATA bus  
combination connector (Figure 4), located at the rear of the drive. IDE bus traffic is  
supplied through a non-shielded 40-conductor I/O cable. DC power is supplied through  
a separate 4-conductor power cable.  
ATA standards require 80-conductor cables to be used for Ultra DMA  
modes 3 through 5. The length of the cable shall not exceed 18 inches.  
Figure 4. 40-pin ATA (IDE) Bus/DC Power Combination Connector  
2.1.1.3 IDE Interface Connector Pinout Configuration  
Table 4 provides the signal assignment for each pin (electronic contact) on the ATA (IDE)  
bus connectors used on Zeus SSDs. Except as noted, the table applies to both the 44-  
pin ATA bus connectors (Figure 3 on page 13) on used 2.5-inch drives, and the 40-pin  
ATA bus/DC power combination connectors (Figure 4 above) used on 3.5-inch drives.  
Table 4. ATA (IDE) Connector Pinout Configuration  
Pin  
Pin Type Signal Symbol Signal Name  
Signal Description  
1
I
-RESET  
HOST RESET  
Reset signal from the host. Reset is active  
on power up and inactive thereafter.  
2
Ground  
GND  
Ground  
Continued  
14  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Zeus SSD Functional Blocks  
Functional Description  
Table 4. ATA (IDE) Connector Pinout Configuration (Continued)  
Pin Type Signal Symbol Signal Name Signal Description  
Pin  
3
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
I/O  
Ground  
D07  
D08  
D06  
D09  
D05  
D10  
D04  
D11  
D03  
D12  
D02  
D13  
D01  
D14  
D00  
D15  
GND  
HOST DATA 7  
HOST DATA 8  
HOST DATA 6  
HOST DATA 9  
HOST DATA 5  
HOST DATA 10  
HOST DATA 4  
HOST DATA 11  
HOST DATA 03  
HOST DATA 12  
HOST DATA 02  
HOST DATA 13  
HOST DATA 01  
HOST DATA 14  
HOST DATA 0  
HOST DATA 15  
Pins 3 through 18 (16 lines (15-0)) carry the  
data between the controller and the host.  
The low 8 lines transfer commands and the  
ECC information between the host and the  
controller.  
4
5
6
7
8
9
10  
11  
12  
13  
14  
15  
16  
17  
18  
19  
20  
21  
22  
23  
Ground  
No connection. Reserved for connector key.  
O
DREQ  
GND  
-IOWR  
DMA REQUEST  
Not used  
Ground  
Ground  
I
I/O WRITE  
This I/O Write strobe pulse is used to clock  
I/O data or commands on the drive data bus  
into the Drive controller registers when the  
drive is configured to use the I/O interface.  
The clocking will occur on the negative to  
positive edge of the signal (trailing edge).  
24  
25  
Ground  
I
GND  
Ground  
-IORD  
I/O READ  
This is a Read strobe generated by the host.  
The signal gates I/O data or status on the  
host bus and strobes the data from the  
controller into the host on the low to high  
transition (trailing edge).  
26  
Ground  
GND  
Ground  
Continued  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
15  
Functional Description  
Zeus SSD Functional Blocks  
Table 4. ATA (IDE) Connector Pinout Configuration (Continued)  
Pin Type Signal Symbol Signal Name Signal Description  
Pin  
27  
I
IORDY  
I/O READY  
Not used, and pulled up to Vcc through a  
4.7k ohm resistor.  
28  
I
-CSEL  
CABLE SELECT  
This internally pulled up signal is used to  
configure the drives as the Master or the  
Slave device. When the pin is grounded, the  
device is configured as a Master. When the  
pin is open, the device is configured as a  
Slave.  
29  
30  
31  
I
-DACK  
GND  
DMA ACKNOWLEDGE Not used  
— Ground  
Ground  
O
INTRQ  
INTERRUPT REQUEST This is an interrupt request from the  
controller to the host, asking for service.  
This signal is the active high Interrupt  
Request to the host.  
32  
33  
O
I
-IOS16  
A1  
I/O SELECT 16  
Not used  
HOST ADDRESS 1  
This address line (A1) is used to select one  
of eight registers in the controller Task File.  
34  
I/O  
-PDIAG  
After an Executive diagnostic command to  
indicate to the Master it has passed its  
diagnostics, this bi-directional open drain  
signal is asserted by the Slave.  
35  
36  
I
I
A0  
A2  
HOST ADDRESS 0  
HOST ADDRESS 2  
These address lines (A0 and A2) are used to  
select one of eight registers in the controller  
Task File.  
37  
38  
I
I
-CS1  
-CS2  
HOST CHIP SELECT 1 The chip select signal used to select the  
Task File register.  
HOST CHIP SELECT 2 The chip select signal used to select the  
Alternate Status register and the Device  
Control register.  
39  
I/O  
-DASP  
DISK ACTIVE/SLAVE  
PRESENT  
This input/output is the Disk Active/Slave  
Present signal in the Master/Slave  
handshake protocol.  
40  
Ground  
GND  
Ground  
41*  
42*  
43*  
44*  
V
V
Supply Voltage  
5V power supply  
5V power supply  
Ground  
CC  
CC  
Supply Voltage  
Ground  
GND  
No connection  
* Applies to 44-pin, 2.5-inch SSD only  
16  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Zeus SSD Functional Blocks  
Functional Description  
2.1.2 SSD Control Block  
The Zeus SSD’s control block comprises three integrated components:  
SimpleTech Zeus SSD controller  
RISC Microcontroller  
NAND SLC flash memory  
SimpleTech’s Zeus FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) controller is the heart of the  
Zeus SSD. The Zeus controller provides the drive’s ATA interface to the host, and the  
IDE interface to the drive’s local flash memory. The Zeus controller’s integrated DMA  
controller interfaces with system memory to facilitate data transfer between the host and  
the SSD’s local flash memory.  
An integrated microcontroller is responsible for initiating and controlling all activity within  
the Zeus ATA controller. The microcontroller features more than 1 Mbit of on-chip SRAM  
and a wide range of peripheral functions, with 8 Mbits of flash memory into a single  
compact 120-ball BGA package, providing a powerful and flexible solution for the SSD’s  
embedded control applications. The SSD’s embedded microcontroller is a high-  
performance processor with a high-density instruction set and very low power  
consumption. In addition, a large number of internally banked registers provide very fast  
exception handling—making it ideal for the real-time application control requirements of  
the SSD. The 8-level priority-vectored interrupt controller, together with the Peripheral  
Data Controller, significantly enhance the SSD’s real-time performance.  
The SSD’s flash memory controller architecture requires only minimal external  
component support. The SSD’s flash controller works with flash memory devices from  
Samsung® and Toshiba®, as well as a number of compatible flash memory devices from  
other manufacturers.  
Features of the drive’s flash memory controller include:  
Built-in 3.3V voltage regulator for flash memory supply  
Data transfer rates up to 60 MB/sec (controller to flash memory)  
True-IDE mode support  
Embedded ECC unit  
Wear-leveling and bad-block mapping software  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
17  
Functional Description  
Zeus SSD Functional Blocks  
2.1.3 Flash Memory  
The Zeus SSD’s local storage subsystem uses Single-Level Cell (SLC) NAND, non-  
volatile flash memory. Having only two states and one bit of data stored, SLC NAND flash  
control logic on the SSD is able to conserve energy when managing the electrical charge  
during operations.  
2.1.3.1 Storage Capacity  
Table 5 on page 18, provides a representative list of the various capacities in which  
SimpleTech’s Zeus SSDs are available, along with associated LBA (Logical Bit  
Addressing) and CHS (Cylinder, Head, Sector) information.  
Table 5. Zeus SSD Capacity  
Logical Bit Addressing (LBA) Data  
Cylinder, Head, Sector (CHS) Data  
Capacity (GB)  
(unformatted)  
User-Addressable  
LBA Sectors  
CHS  
Capacity  
Logical  
Cylinders  
Logical  
Heads  
Logical  
Sectors  
a
8
16090112  
32196608  
48302080  
64408576  
144919296  
16089696  
16514064  
16514064  
16514064  
16514064  
15962  
16383  
16383  
16383  
16383  
16  
16  
16  
16  
16  
63  
63  
63  
63  
63  
16  
24  
32  
72  
a. Expressed as LBA sectors  
18  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Principles of Operation  
Functional Description  
2.2 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION  
The Zeus SSD comprises three primary functional blocks—the ATA (IDE) interface  
connector, Zeus SSD controller and NAND flash memory. A description of each drive  
component is provided in “Zeus SSD Functional Blocks” on page 13.  
All read/write data transfer requests are initiated by the host via the ATA (IDE) bus  
interface. Once received, the Zeus controller, under the control of the SSD’s  
microcontroller, processes the request.  
The SSD’s microcontroller is responsible for initiating and controlling  
all activity within the Zeus controller—including bad block mapping and  
executing the wear-leveling algorithms.  
The Zeus controller decodes an incoming host command, and sets up  
the appropriate interrupts and status for the local microprocessor to  
handle various ATA commands. For read and write transfer commands,  
the hardware can handle the initial handshake with the host  
automatically. If firmware enables full auto mode, read and write  
transfers can be fully handled by hardware with minimum firmware  
support.  
Commands that do not require data to be read from or written to the flash memory  
controller are typically handled by the Zeus controller. Some commands may require the  
Zeus controller to use external circuitry (for example, Intelligent Destructive Purge™),  
which do not involve the flash memory controller.  
When a write operation is requested and data is received, the Zeus controller uses  
integrated DMA controllers to transfer the data from host memory to the SSD’s flash  
memory controller. Through a standard ATA (IDE) interface, the flash memory controller  
transfers the data from the Zeus controller to available locations in the SSD’s local flash  
memory. Depending on drive configuration, Zeus SSD storage capacity can range  
between from 2GB to 128GB, with internal IDE transfer rates ranging from 10 to 60 MB  
per second. After the write operation completes, the Zeus controller notifies the host.  
If a read request is received, the Zeus controller retrieves the data from the local flash  
memory via the flash memory controller. If the Zeus controller is responding to a PIO read  
operation, it presents the data to the ATA bus. If it is responding to a UDMA read request,  
the Zeus controller writes the data directly to system memory on the host. Regardless of  
the type of operation (PIO or UDMA), the Zeus controller notifies the host when the data  
is ready for transmission.  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
19  
Functional Description  
Operating Modes  
2.3 OPERATING MODES  
The Zeus SSD is configured as a high-performance I/O device, supporting the following  
operating modes:  
Primary drive address at system ATA I/O address 1F0h - 1F7h and 3F6h - 3F7h. The  
host must provide chip-enable #CS0 and #CS1. The SSD decodes addresses DA0  
- DA2.  
Secondary drive address at system ATA I/O address 170h - 177h and 376h - 377h.  
The host must provide chip-enable #CS0 and #CS1. The SSD decodes addresses  
DA0 - DA2.  
2.3.1 I/O Primary and Secondary ATA (IDE) Modes  
Primary and secondary drive addressing modes allow hosts to use the ATA-standard’s  
reserved disk drive I/O addresses. This provides computer system designers with the  
simplest way to accommodate ATA-protocol devices.  
2.3.1.1 Addressing Modes  
Zeus SSDs, on a command by command basis, can operate in either CHS or LBA  
addressing modes. Identify Drive Information (see “Identify Drive Information” on  
page 23) tells the host whether the drive supports LBA mode. The host selects LBA  
mode via the Drive/Head register. Sector Number, Cylinder Low, Cylinder High, and  
Drive/Head register bits HS3=0 contain the zero-based LBA. The drive's sectors are  
linearly mapped with: LBA = 0 => Cylinder 0, head 0, sector 1. Regardless of the  
translation mode, a sector LBA address does not change. LBA = (Cylinder * no of heads  
+ Head) * (sectors/track) + (Sector - 1). Table 6 on page 21 lists the supported IDE  
addressing modes.  
20  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
ATA Commands  
Functional Description  
Table 6. ATA (IDE) Bus Addressing Modes  
#CS0  
#CS1  
DA2  
DA1  
DA0  
#IORD = “0”  
#IOWR - “0”  
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
X
0
1
X
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
X
X
0
X
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
X
X
X
X
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
Hi-Z  
Not Used  
Hi-Z  
Not Used  
Hi-Z  
Not Used  
Invalid  
Invalid  
Alternate status  
Device address  
Data  
Device Control  
Not Used  
Data  
Error  
Feature  
Sector Count  
Sector Number  
Cylinder Low  
Cylinder High  
Drive/Head  
Status  
Sector Count  
Sector Number  
Cylinder Low  
Cylinder High  
Drive/Head  
Command  
2.4 ATA COMMANDS  
This section provides information on the ATA commands supported on the Zeus SSD.  
The commands are issued to the ATA by loading the required registers in the command  
block with the supplied parameter, and then writing the command code to the register.  
2.4.1 ATA Command Flow  
1
Write the necessary parameter to the related Task File registers and by writing the  
command in the Command register, the command is issued.  
2
3
Upon the receipt of the command, the device sets the BSY bit within 400 n/sec.  
If a data transfer command (e.g., Read command, Write command) was called, the  
DRQ bit in the Status register will come up, indication that the transfer can begin.  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
21  
Functional Description  
ATA Commands  
2.4.2 Standard ATA Commands  
Table 7 lists each command along with its respective command code and registers  
accessed by the command. For detailed descriptions of the ATA commands, refer to the  
ATA-5 specification.  
Table 7. Supported ATA Commands  
Sector  
Count  
Register Register  
Sector  
Number High/Low  
Cylinder Drive/Head  
Command Feature  
Code (Hex) Register  
Command  
Number  
Register  
Register  
No  
a
CHECK POWER MODE  
ERASE SECTOR  
98 or E5  
C0  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
b
Yes  
Yes  
c
EXECUTE DRIVE  
DIAGNOSTIC  
90  
No  
Yes  
(b)  
FORMAT TRACK  
IDENTIFY DRIVE  
IDLE  
50  
EC  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
Y
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
(b)  
97, E3  
95, E1  
91  
IDLE IMMEDIATE  
No  
Yes  
INITIALIZE DRIVE  
PARAMETERS  
(b)  
(b)  
(b)  
(a)  
(b)  
(b)  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
(b)  
(b)  
READ MULTIPLE  
READ SECTOR(S)  
READ VERIFY SECTOR(S)  
RECALIBRATE  
C4  
20  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
40  
10  
SEEK  
70 - 7F  
EF  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
SET FEATURES  
SET MULTIPLE MODE  
SET SLEEP MODE  
STANDBY  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
C6  
99 or E6  
96 or E2  
94 or E0  
C5  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
STANDBY IMMEDIATE  
WRITE MULTIPLE  
WRITE SECTOR(S)  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
30  
a. Only drive parameters are valid.  
b. Drive and head parameters are valid.  
c. Address to drive 0 (zero). When executed, Both drives (master and slave) execute this command).  
22  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
ATA Commands  
Functional Description  
2.4.3 Optional ATA Command Support  
2.4.3.1 SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting  
Technology)  
Zeus SSDs are designed to operate in mission-critical systems where remote monitoring  
of the drives’s internal status is required, but removal of the drive for status checking is  
unacceptable. To provide remote monitoring support, Zeus SSDs can be programmed  
with the optional SMART feature. SMART enables the SSD to perform internal system  
monitoring, and report on the status of the drive. SMART is also used to analyze the  
SSD’s bad-block status. The total number of bad blocks accumulated from the date of  
manufacture; relative to the disk total capacity, is returned as status information.  
Monitoring accumulated bad blocks over time provides an indication of drive reliability  
and the expected life span of the drive in the system in which the it is installed.  
2.4.3.2 Identify Drive Information  
The Identify Drive command enables the host to receive parameter information from the  
SSD. When the Identify Drive command executes, the SSD sets the BSY bit, prepares  
to transfer the 256 words of SSD identification data to the host, sets the DRQ bit, clears  
the BSY bit, and then generates an interrupt. The host can then transfer the data by  
reading the Data register. All reserved bits or words are all zero. Table 8 contains typical  
Identify Drive Information for the Zeus SSD.  
Table 8. SSD Identify Drive Information  
Total  
Bytes  
Word  
Data  
Description  
0
1
8040h  
2
2
General configuration bit-significant information (value fixed by CFA)  
Default number of cylinders  
a
XXXXh  
0000h  
2
3
2
2
Reserved  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
Default number of heads  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
4
5
2
2
2
4
Number of unformatted bytes per track (not used)  
Number of unformatted bytes per sector (not used)  
Default number of sectors per track  
6
7-8  
Number of sectors per drive (Word7 = MSW, Word8 = LSW)  
9
0000h  
2
Reserved  
(a)  
10-19  
20  
Serial number  
XXXXh  
continued  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
23  
Functional Description  
ATA Commands  
Table 8. SSD Identify Drive Information (Continued)  
Total  
Bytes  
Word  
Data  
Description  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
20  
21  
2
2
Buffer type (dual ported, multi-sector, with read cache)  
Buffer size (in 512 byte increments)  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
22  
2
Number of ECC bytes passed on Read/Write Long Sector commands  
Firmware version and model number in ASCII  
23-46  
48  
47  
48  
49  
50  
51  
52  
53  
54  
8001h  
0000h  
2F00h  
0000h  
0200h  
0200h  
0007h  
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Maximum sector count = 1 on Read/Write Multiple commands  
Double word not supported  
Capabilities: DMA not supported (bit 8); LBA supported (bit 9)  
Reserved  
PIO data transfer cycle timing mode  
Single word DMA data transfer cycle timing mode (not supported)  
Words 54 - 58 and 64 - 70 are valid  
(a)  
Number of current cylinders  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
XXXXh  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
(a)  
55  
56  
57  
58  
2
2
2
2
Number of current heads  
Number of current sectors per track  
LSW of the current capacity in sectors  
MSW of the current capacity in sectors  
59  
0000h  
2
4
Current setting for block count = 1 for Read/Write Multiple commands  
Total number of user addressable sectors in LBA Mode  
(a)  
60-61  
XXXXh  
0000h  
0000h  
0003h  
0078h  
0078h  
00F0h  
0078h  
0000h  
62  
63  
2
2
Single word DMA data transfer cycle timing mode not supported  
Multi-word DMA modes active; modes 0 - 2 supported  
Advanced PIO modes supported (modes 3 and 4)  
Minimum multi-word DMA transfer cycle time per word (ns)  
Recommended multi-word DMA transfer cycle time per word (ns)  
Minimum PIO transfer without flow control  
64  
2
65  
2
66  
2
67  
2
68  
2
Minimum PIO transfer with IORDY flow control  
Reserved  
69-255  
388  
a. Value varies depending on drive storage capacity.  
24  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
ATA Commands  
Functional Description  
2.4.4 Vendor-Specific ATA Commands  
As with standard ATA command, the software requirements and syntax of the vendor-  
specific ATA commands the host issues to the Zeus SSD are issued to the ATA by  
loading the required registers in the command block with the supplied parameters, and  
then writing the command code to the register.  
For additional information on proprietary SimpleTech ATA commands, contact your  
SimpleTech representative. Contact information is provided in “Contact and Ordering  
Information” on page 31.  
2.4.4.1 Sanitize Erase/Fill  
Zeus SSDs offer optional destructive and non-destructive sanitization (purge) features.  
Non-destructive security erase removes the drive’s data, then overwrites (fills) each  
addressable block of memory with a predetermined pattern, as specified by the  
sanitization specification, such as DoD 5220.22M, to which the SSD complies.The  
destructive security erase feature removes the drive’s data, and then destroys the flash  
media—making the SSD totally unusable and data retrieval impossible. SimpleTech’s  
non-destructive and patent-pending destructive security erase algorithms monitor and  
confirm completion of the sanitization process.  
Both security erase features support Low Power and Fast Erase options. The Low Power  
option accesses each addressable memory block sequentially to conserve power. The  
Fast Erase option accesses all addressable blocks simultaneously, forgoing power  
conservation for speed.  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
25  
Functional Description  
ATA Commands  
2.4.4.2 Sanitization Standards  
Zeus SSDs comply with the sanitization requirements described in Table 9.  
Table 9. Sanitize Standards Compliance  
Specification  
Document Description/Comment  
USA DoD 5220.22-M  
Specifies the sanitization process for various media types in  
order to be considered declassified.  
National Industrial Security Program  
Operation Manual (NISOM)  
January 1995  
NSA 130-2  
Specifies the sanitization procedure for semiconductor memory  
devices.  
Media Declassification and Destruction  
Manual  
November 2000  
AR 380-19  
Provides the security requirements for systems processing  
Special Access Program (SAP) information and describes the  
ISS policy as it applies to security in hardware, software  
procedures, telecommunication, personal use, physical  
environment, networks and firmware.  
Information Systems Security (ISS)  
27 March 1998  
Section VII, Automated Information System Media, Section 2-20,  
describes cleaning, purging, declassifying and destroying media.  
Appendix F-2 describes how to sanitize flash memory.  
AFSSI 5020  
Specifies the sanitization procedure for confidential media.  
Chapter 5, Semiconductor Devices, describes the security  
procedure for all types of semiconductor media. Paragraph 5.3  
describes the procedure for sanitizing flash memory.  
USA Air Force System Security  
Instruction (AFSSI) 5020  
20 August 1996  
Navso P-5239-26  
Provides policy, guidelines, and procedures for clearing and  
purging computer system memory and other storage media for  
release outside of and for reuse within controlled environments.  
It pertains to both classified and sensitive unclassified  
information. Implements DOD 5200.28-M and CSC-STD-005-85.  
Chapter 3 describes the cleaning and purging of data storage  
media.  
Information Systems Security (INFOSEC)  
Program Guidelines  
26  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
System Requirements  
Installation  
3 INSTALLATION  
3.1 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS  
Before installing the Zeus SSD in your system, make sure you have the following items:  
Mounting hardware (as required)  
ATA (IDE) bus interface cable (as specified in Table 10, below)  
For 3.5-inch Zeus SSD; available 5V power source (4-pin connector)  
Table 10. ATA (IDE) Cable Requirements  
Drive (form factor)  
ATA (IDE) Interface  
Operating Mode  
2.5-inch Zeus SSD  
44-pin; 44 conductor  
PIO modes 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4  
Ultra DMA modes 0, 1 and 2  
44-pin 80-conductor  
40-pin; 40 conductor  
Ultra DMA modes 3 and 4  
3.5-inch Zeus SSD  
PIO modes 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4  
Ultra DMA modes 0, 1 and 2  
40-pin; 80 conductor  
Ultra DMA modes 3 and 4  
3.2 DRIVE CONFIGURATION  
Before installing the SSD, the drive must be configured to operate as either the Master  
or Slave IDE device. The Master/Slave setting represents the ordering of electronic  
devices on an IDE channel. If the Zeus SSD is the only ATA (IDE) drive installed in the  
system, set up the drive as the master device. If two drives are installed in the machine,  
one device must be configured as the master and the other as the slave. Jumpers located  
at the rear of the Zeus SSD allow you to configure the drive as either the Master or the  
Slave device.  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
27  
Installation  
Drive Configuration  
3.2.1 Configuring 2.5-inch Form Factor Zeus SSD  
Zeus SSDs conforming to the 2.5-inch form factor, use a 44-pin ATA bus connector. To  
configure the SSD as either the Master or Slave device, place a jumper across the  
appropriate pins (A - D) as illustrated in Figure 5 on page 28.  
In systems with multiple drives, it may be necessary to configure disk  
storage in a Master/Slave configuration. To accomplish this, boot the  
computer using IDE HDD Auto Detection available in the CMOS setup.  
Figure 5. Master/Slave Setting for 2.5-inch Zeus SSDs  
28  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Drive Configuration  
Installation  
3.2.2 Configuring 3.5-inch Form Factor Zeus SSD  
Zeus SSDs conforming to the 3.5-inch form factor, use a 40-pin ATA bus/DC power  
combination connector. To configure the SSD as either the Master or Slave device, place  
a jumper across the appropriate pins (1 - 8) as illustrated in Figure 6 on page 29.  
In systems with multiple drives, it may be necessary to configure disk  
storage in a Master/Slave configuration. To accomplish this, boot the  
computer using IDE HDD Auto Detection available in the CMOS setup.  
Figure 6. Master/Slave Setting for 3.5-inch Zeus SSDs  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
29  
Installation  
Installing Zeus SSDs  
3.3 INSTALLING ZEUS SSDS  
To install the Zeus SSD in a personal computer (PC) or host system, complete the  
following steps:  
1
2
Power down the computer and remove the access cover.  
Configure the Zeus SSD as the master or slave device in accordance with the  
information provided in “Drive Configuration” on page 27.  
3
Connect one end of an ATA (IDE) cable to the Zeus SSD and the other end of the  
cable to the IDE adapter on the host. Orient the cable so that pin 1 on the Zeus SSD  
connects to pin 1 on the host adapter.  
ATA standards require 80-conductor cables to be used for Ultra DMA  
modes 3 through 5. The length of the cable shall not exceed 18 inches.  
4
5
6
If installing a 3.5-inch SSD, connect a power cable from the computer’s power source  
to the 4-pin power connector located on the rear of the SSD.  
Position the Zeus SSD in an unused drive bay and secure it in place using six (6)  
machine screws. Apply sufficient torque to ensure that the drive is secure.  
Replace the access cover and power on the computer.  
3.3.1 Formatting Zeus SSDs for Windows, Linux and Other OS  
Environments  
After installing the Zeus SSD (see sectionInstalling Zeus SSDs” on page 30), it is ready  
for use. Zeus SSDs do not require special driver installation, adjustments or  
modifications.  
Zeus SSDs are low-level formatted at the factory. However, the SSD  
must be partitioned and high-level formatted.  
3.4 UPGRADING ZEUS SSD FIRMWARE  
The firmware on the Zeus SSD is field upgradeable.  
30  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Upgrading Zeus SSD Firmware  
Contact and Ordering Information  
CONTACT AND ORDERING INFORMATION  
CONTACTING SIMPLETECH  
For more information on Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives, contact the SimpleTech  
Solid State Drive Team.  
Phone:  
Fax:  
800-796-4645 (Toll free; US and Canada only); (949) 260-8345  
(949) 851-2756  
Email:  
ORDERING INFORMATION  
How to read the SSD’s part number:  
Part Number  
Description  
(for example, Z2A2A16C4BA)  
xx xxxx  
Z
x
xx xx xxx  
x
Customer identifier (optional; SimpleTech internal use)  
Build information (optional; SimpleTech internal use)  
Temperature Rating:  
C
= Commercial  
I
= Industrial  
Storage Capacity:  
= 2 GB  
2
128 = 128 GB  
Sustained Data Transfer Rate:  
2A = 20 MB/s  
3A = 30 MB/s  
4A = 40 MB/s  
6A = 60 MB/s  
Interface:  
A
= ATA  
S
= Serial ATA (SATA)  
Form Factor:  
0
2
3
= Custom  
= 2.5 inch  
= 3.0 inch  
Controller type:  
= Zeus  
Z
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
31  
Contact and Ordering Information  
Upgrading Zeus SSD Firmware  
32  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Acronyms and Abbreviations  
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS  
A
D
ARM (Advanced RISC Machine) <processor> (ARM,  
Originally Acorn RISC Machine). A series of low-  
cost, power-efficient 32-bit RISC microprocessors for  
embedded control, computing, digital signal  
processing, games, consumer multimedia and  
portable applications.  
DMA (Direct Memory Access) Specialized circuitry  
or a dedicated microprocessor that transfers data  
from memory to memory without using the CPU.  
Although DMA may periodically steal cycles from the  
CPU, data are transferred much faster than using the  
CPU for every byte of transfer.  
ATA (AT Attachment) The IDE interface is officially  
known as the ATA specification. ATA-2 (Fast ATA)  
defined the faster transfer rates used in Enhanced  
IDE (EIDE). ATA-3 added interface improvements,  
including the ability to report potential problems (see  
S.M.A.R.T.). Starting with ATA-4, either the word  
“Ultra” or the transfer rate was added to the name in  
various combinations. For example, at 33 MBytes/  
sec, terms such as Ultra ATA and ATA-33 have been  
used. In addition, Ultra ATA-33, DMA-33 and Ultra  
DMA-33 are also found.  
DoD (Department of Defense) The military branch of  
the U.S. government, which is under the direction of  
the Secretary of Defense, the primary defense policy  
adviser to the President.  
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) A technology that  
dramatically increases the digital capacity of ordinary  
telephone lines (the local loops) into the home or  
office. DSL speeds are tied to the distance between  
the customer and the telco central office (CO). DSL  
is geared to two types of usage. Asymmetric DSL  
(ADSL) is for Internet access, where fast  
downstream is required, but slow upstream is  
acceptable. Symmetric DSL (SDSL, HDSL, etc.) is  
designed for short haul connections that require high  
speed in both directions.  
C
CFA (Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986) The  
CFA was a significant step forward in criminalizing  
unauthorized access to computer systems and  
networks. The Act applies to “federal interest  
computers” which include systems used by the U.S.  
government, as well as most financial institutions.  
The Act makes unauthorized penetration or other  
damage to such systems a felony.  
DSLAM (DSL Access Multiplexer) A central office  
(CO) device for ADSL service that combines voice  
traffic and DSL traffic onto a customer's DSL line. It  
also separates incoming phone and data signals and  
directs them onto the appropriate carriers network.  
E
CHS Cylinder, Head, Sector A disc-drive system and  
method for generating logical zones that each have  
an approximate number of spare sectors, and that  
are used to translate logical block addresses.  
EDC/ECC (Error Detection Code/Error Correction  
Code) A memory system that tests for and corrects  
errors automatically, very often without the operating  
system being aware of it. When writing the data into  
memory, ECC circuitry generates checksums from  
the binary sequences in the bytes and stores them in  
an additional seven bits of memory for 32-bit data  
paths or eight bits for 64-bit paths. When data are  
retrieved from memory, the checksum is recomputed  
to determine if any data bits have been corrupted.  
Such systems can typically detect and automatically  
correct errors of one bit per word and can detect, but  
not correct, errors greater than one bit.  
CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer)  
Pronounced “sisk.” The traditional architecture of a  
computer which uses microcode to execute very  
comprehensive instructions. Instructions may be  
variable in length and use all addressing modes,  
requiring complex circuitry to decode them.  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
33  
Acronyms and Abbreviations  
LSW (Least Significant Word) “Word” denotes  
sequence of 4 bytes, or 32 bits, with the left-most  
being the least significant, and the right-most being  
the most significant. “Double-word” denotes  
sequence of two words, or 64bits, with the left most  
word being the least significant, and the right-most -  
the most significant. Note, that the definition of  
“word” defines a little-endian scheme, so for big-  
endian platforms, or network applications, special  
steps need to be taken to reorder the bytes form the  
input stream.  
F
FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) A type of  
gate array that is programmed in the field rather than  
in a semiconductor fabrication facility. Containing up  
to hundreds of thousands of gates, there are a  
variety of FPGA architectures on the market. Some  
are very sophisticated, including not only  
programmable logic blocks, but programmable  
interconnects and switches between the blocks. The  
interconnects take up a lot of FPGA real estate,  
resulting in a chip with very low gate density  
compared to other technologies.  
M
MLC (Multi-Level Cell) A flash memory technology  
that stores more than one bit of data per cell.  
Traditional flash memory defines a 0 or 1 bit, based  
on a single voltage threshold. The patterns of two bits  
(0-0, 0-1, 1-0, and 1-1) can be achieved with four  
voltage levels and eight levels of voltage can yield all  
the combinations in three bits.  
H
HDD (Hard Disk Drive) The primary computer  
storage medium, made of one or more aluminum or  
glass platters, coated with a ferromagnetic material.  
Most hard disks are “fixed disks,” which have platters  
that reside permanently in the drive.  
MSB (Most Significant) “byte” defines a sequence of  
8-bits, with the right-most bit being the least  
significant and the left-most bit being the most-  
significant.  
I
I/O (Input/Output) Transferring data between the  
CPU and a peripheral device. Every transfer is an  
output from one device and an input into another.  
MSW (Most Significant Word) “Word” denotes  
sequence of 4 bytes, or 32 bits, with the left-most  
being the least significant, and the right-most being  
the most significant. “Double-word” denotes  
sequence of two words, or 64bits, with the left most  
word being the least significant, and the right-most -  
the most significant. Note, that the definition of  
“word” defines a little-endian scheme, so for big-  
endian platforms, or network applications, special  
steps need to be taken to reorder the bytes form the  
input stream.  
IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics)  
A
type of  
hardware interface widely used to connect hard  
disks, CD-ROMs and tape drives to a PC. IDE was  
always the more economical interface, compared to  
SCSI. Starting out with 40MB capacities years ago,  
20GB IDE hard disks have become entry level,  
costing a fraction of a cent per megabyte.  
IO (Input/Output; see I/O)  
L
LBA (Logical Block Addressing) A method used to  
support IDE hard disks larger than 504MB  
(528,482,304 bytes) on PCs. LBA provides the  
necessary address conversion in the BIOS to  
support drives up to 8GB. BIOS after mid-1994,  
which are sometimes called “Enhanced BIOS,”  
generally provide LBA conversion. LBA support is  
required for compatibility with the FAT32 directory.  
N
NAND (Not AND) A Boolean logic operation that is  
true if any single input is false. Two-input NAND  
gates are often used as the sole logic element on  
gate array chips, because all Boolean operations can  
be created from NAND gates.  
P
LSB (Least Significant Byte) “Byte” defines a  
sequence of 8-bits, with the right-most bit being the  
least significant and the left-most bit being the most-  
significant.  
PIO (Programmed Input/Output) The data transfer  
mode used by IDE drives. PIO modes use the CPU’s  
registers for data transfer in contrast with DMA,  
which transfers directly between main memory and  
the peripheral device.  
34  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Acronyms and Abbreviations  
R
RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)  
A
computer architecture that reduces chip complexity  
by using simpler instructions. RISC compilers have  
to generate software routines to perform complex  
instructions that were previously done in hardware  
by CISC computers. In RISC, the microcode layer  
and associated overhead is eliminated.  
S
SLC Single-Level Cell A flash memory technology  
that stores one bit of data per memory cell;  
supporting only two states: erased (1) or  
programmed (0).  
SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting  
Technology) An “early warning system” for  
anticipating pending drive problems. The drive’s  
integrated controller works with various sensors to  
monitor several aspects of the drive's performance.  
Using this status information, SMART determines if  
the drive is behaving normally or not, and then  
makes the information available to software that  
probes the drive.  
SSD (Solid State Disk) Disk drive that uses memory  
chips instead of rotating platters for data storage.  
Used in battery-powered handheld devices as well  
as desktop computers and servers, solid state disks  
(SSDs) are faster than regular disks because there is  
zero latency (there is no read/write head to move).  
They are also more rugged than hard disks and offer  
greater protection in hostile environments.  
T
True-IDE Flash memory devices (such as CF cards)  
have a pin that when connected to the proper voltage  
at power-up selects the “True-IDE” mode of  
operation instead of the “PC-CARD-ATA” mode of  
operation. This is the mode used in the interface.  
U
Ultra ATA An enhanced version of the IDE interface  
that transfers data at 33, 66 or 100 Mbytes/sec.  
These enhancements are also called “Ultra DMA,”  
“UDMA,” “ATA-33,” “ATA-66,” “ATA-100,” “DMA-33,”  
“DMA-66” and “DMA-100.”  
Ultra DMA (see Ultra ATA)  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
35  
Acronyms and Abbreviations  
36  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Index  
INDEX  
Numerics  
D
40-pin, DC power/ATA bus combination connector 14  
44-pin ATA Bus Connector 13  
data retention 11  
data transfer rate 11  
description  
A
40-pin, DC power/ATA bus combination  
connector 14  
44-pin ATA bus connector 13  
ATA (IDE) bus interface connectors 13  
functional blocks 13  
addressing modes 20  
altitude, operating 8  
ATA (IDE) bus interface connectors 13  
ATA (IDE) bus modes 10  
ATA commands  
product 1  
description, functional 13  
drive assembly 5, 6  
drive configuration 27  
command codes list 22  
flow 21  
Identify Drive 23  
ATA commands, supported 21  
ATA/IDE interface 3  
E
Electrical Characteristics  
operating voltage 9  
electrical characteristics 9  
power consumption 10  
endurance 4, 11  
B
bad-block mapping, endurance  
bad-block mapping 11  
BITS (Built-In Self Test) 12  
data retention 11  
wear-leveling 11  
environmental characteristics 4, 8  
shock 9  
C
capacity, storage 18  
certification and warranty 41  
compatibility 2  
shock and vibration 9  
temperature, humidity and altitude 8  
vibration 9  
error detection and correction 12  
Export Administration Regulation ii  
compliance and conformity 2  
configuring 2.5-in drives 28  
configuring 3.5-in drives 29  
connector, 40-pin, DC power/ATA bus combination  
14  
F
connector, 44-pin ATA bus 13  
connector, ATA (IDE) bus interface 13  
FCC compliance 41  
FCC Declaration 41  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
37  
Index  
features 3  
N
ATA/IDE interface 3  
NAND-based flash memory 18  
endurance 4  
optional (proprietary) 4  
performance 3  
O
physical characteristics 4  
reliability 3  
operating modes 20  
I/O Primary and Secondary ATA (IDE)  
SMART 23  
firmware upgrades 30  
flash memory 18  
formatting the Zeus SSD 30  
functional blocks 13  
Modes 20  
operating voltage 9  
optional features 4  
SMART 23  
functional description 13  
P
performance 3  
H
performance characteristics 10  
ATA (IDE) bus modes 10  
bad-block mapping 11  
built-in self test (BITS) 12  
data retention 11  
humidity, operating 8  
I
I/O Primary and Secondary ATA (IDE) Modes 20  
IDE connector pinout 14  
Identify Drive command 23  
installation  
data transfer rate 11  
endurance 11  
error detection and correction 12  
mean time between failure (MTBF) 11  
mount time 10  
reliability 11  
seek time 10  
wear-leveling 11  
drive configuration 27  
Master/Slave configuration 27  
system requirements 27  
installing the SSD 30  
interface connector  
physical characteristics 5  
drive assembly 5, 6  
40-pin, DC power/ATA bus 14  
44-pin ATA bus 13  
physical characteristics, features  
physical characteristics 4  
pinout, IDE connector 14  
power consumption 10  
principles of operation 19  
product description 1  
proprietary features 4  
ATA (IDE) bus 13  
M
Master/Slave configuration 27  
2.5-inch drives 28  
3.5-inch drives 29  
mechanical shock 9  
memory, flash 18  
modes, addressing 20  
mount time 10  
MTBF (mean time between failure 11  
38  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
Index  
R
random vibration 9  
reliability 3, 11  
BITS (Built-In Self Test) 12  
error detection and correction 12  
MTBF (mean time between failure) 11  
S
sanitization standards 26  
seek time 10  
shock and vibration 9  
shock, mechanical 9  
SLC flash memory 18  
SMART 23  
standard features 3  
storage capacity 18  
system requirements 27  
T
temperature, operating 8  
U
upgrading firmware 30  
V
vibration, random 9  
voltage, operating 9  
W
warranty 41  
wear leveling 11  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
39  
Index  
40  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
CERTIFICATION AND WARRANTY  
FCC Declaration of Conformity  
The Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drive carries the FCC-Mark in accordance with related Federal  
Communications Commission (FCC)–USA directives. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC  
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:  
This device may not cause harmful interference.  
This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired  
operation.  
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to  
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful  
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency  
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to  
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.  
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by  
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the  
following measures:  
Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna.  
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.  
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.  
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help.  
Modifications made to this device that are not approved by SimpleTech may void the authority granted to the  
user by the FCC to operate this equipment.  
Limited Warranty  
SimpleTech, Inc., (“SimpleTech”) Ultra DMA Solid State Drives (“SSD”) are warranted against defects in material and  
workmanship, and will operate in substantial conformance with their respective specifications under normal use and  
service for a period of seven (7) years from the date of shipment. Subject to the conditions and limitations set forth below,  
SimpleTech will, at its own option, either repair or replace any defective SSD Product that proves to be defective by  
reasons of improper workmanship or materials, if Buyer notifies SimpleTech of such failure within the stated warranty  
period. Products repaired or replaced during the applicable warranty period shall be covered by the foregoing warranties  
for the remainder of the original warranty period or ninety (90) days from the date of reshipment, whichever is longer.  
Parts used to repair Products or replacement Products may be provided by SimpleTech on an exchange basis, and will  
be either new or refurbished to be functionally equivalent to new.  
SIMPLETECH DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT  
LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,  
WITH RESPECT TO ITS PRODUCTS AND ANY ACCOMPANYING WRITTEN MATERIALS. FURTHER,  
SIMPLETECH DOES NOT WARRANT THAT SOFTWARE WILL BE FREE FROM DEFECTS OR THAT ITS USE  
WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR REGARDING THE USE, OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF THE SOFTWARE IN  
TERMS OF CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY OR OTHERWISE.  
SimpleTech is not responsible for updates or functionality of third-party software. Software is provided with notices and/  
or licenses from third parties which govern your use.  
Modifications  
Any changes or modifications made to this device that are not expressly approved by SimpleTech, void the user’s  
warranty. All wiring external to the product should follow the provisions of the current edition of the National Electrical  
Code.  
Zeus Ultra DMA Solid State Drives  
41  
World Headquarters  
SimpleTech, Inc.  
3001 Daimler Street  
Santa Ana, CA 92705 USA  
Tel:  
Fax:  
949.476.1180  
949.476.1209  
61000-03257-101; revision 2  
2050r2  

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