Solidigm™ SSDs Validated on AIC Gen5 DPU-Based JBOF Platform

Enabling Next-Gen Storage

Executive summary

In a collaborative effort to push the boundaries of next-generation storage infrastructure Solidigm and AIC collaborated to validate the performance and compatibility of Solidigm™ D7-PS1010 SSDs with AIC’s DPU-based F2026-01-G5 JBOF platform. This interoperability testing marks a significant milestone in enabling scalable, high-performance storage solutions for AI, HPC, and disaggregated storage compute environments. The integration of the NVIDIA BlueField-3 DPU further underscores the platform’s readiness for modern data center workloads.

"This collaboration with AIC reinforces Solidigm’s focus on advancing next-generation storage performance across DPU-based architectures that are foundational to AI and high-performance computing in disaggregated storage environments." 

Mike Mamo
Sr Principal Engineer and Sr Director at Solidigm

Platform and device overview

Solidigm SSD details

Platform details

Platform layout

Validation methodology and results

The testing began with an objective to evaluate how Solidigm D7-PS1010 SSDs would perform within AIC’s DPU-based platform. The initial focus was on disaggregated storage validation using the BlueField-3 DPU. SSDs connected via 400 GbE optical links demonstrated reliable data transfer and low-latency access, aligning with the performance requirements of disaggregated GDS storage and similar architectures.

The teams followed this testing by conducting structured evaluations targeting key performance indicators including:

1. Drive enumeration

All 26 U.2 slots successfully enumerated the SSDs at PCIe Gen5 speeds, with consistent behavior observed across multiple power cycles and hotplug scenarios.

2. Link stability

Stress testing involving link resets and retraining confirmed the platform’s ability to maintain stable operation under dynamic conditions.

3. Signal integrity

Signal integrity was assessed using eye diagram analysis, which showed symmetrical, consistent, and wide-open margins at both the SSD endpoints and switch interfaces. These measurements confirmed that the PCIe channels were operating within expected parameters.

4. Thermal behavior

Thermal testing revealed a uniform temperature distribution across the platform, with predictable variations based on slot position and airflow.

5. Workload responsiveness

This data supports the platform’s suitability for sustained workloads in dense configurations.

Conclusion

The joint validation effort between Solidigm and AIC demonstrates the significant progress being made in enabling next‑generation storage architectures built for AI, HPC, and large‑scale data environments. By combining the Solidigm D7‑PS1010 SSDs with AIC’s F2026-01-G5 DPU‑based platform, our testing confirmed mechanical and electrical compatibility as well as readiness of both technologies to support demanding, latency‑sensitive workloads at scale. The seamless enumeration of all drive slots, stable link operation under stress conditions, and predictable thermal behavior highlight the robustness of this combination. These results validate the platform’s ability to deliver sustained performance for disaggregated compute models, GPU‑direct-storage pipelines, and high‑bandwidth data flows central to modern AI ecosystems.