FADU wants to take the CPU out of AI storage by putting the file system inside the SSD, but the proof won't arrive until 2027
FADU's new SSD runs its own file system, so GPUs and DPUs can read files without CPU intervention, but samples won't land until Q3 2027.
FADU, a South Korean controller designer, has unveiled an SSD called the File-Semantic SSD (FS-SSD) that aims to eliminate the CPU from AI storage by integrating file system functionality directly into the SSD. The FS-SSD moves file lookup, access checks, and file-to-address translation into its firmware, allowing GPUs, DPUs, and network cards to reach files without relying on a host file system, block layer, or storage-server CPU.
The company claims this approach will reduce CPU cycles spent working out where data lives, potentially alleviating the next bottleneck in AI storage. However, partner samples are not expected until Q3 2027, and the proof of concept won't be available until then. FADU's FS-SSD is not the first attempt to address the CPU problem, as Nvidia has already removed the CPU from the data path with GPUDirect Storage, while SK hynix has developed a key-value computational storage drive.
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