LSI SandForce Support Information
LSI is not able to provide direct end-user support for SSDs not produced by LSI. If you purchased an SSD with a SandForce Flash Storage Processor, please contact the manufacturer of your particular SSD for any questions about firmware upgrades, software tools, features, compatibility, etc. LSI will not be able to answer any questions about a specific manufacturer’s SSD using our processor.
LSI Updates Encryption in SandForce SF-2000 Series Flash Storage Processors
MILPITAS, CA – June 18, 2012 – LSI Corporation is committed to delivering the highest quality and most reliable Flash Storage Processors (FSP) in the marketplace. As part of a detailed validation and quality assurance analysis of the security implementation in the SF-2000 series FSP conducted by LSI, it was discovered that the AES-XTS engine was restricted to 128-bit encryption. That analysis confirmed all data was properly secured and stored with AES-128 encryption.
This issue affects the limited set of users who currently require 256-bit encryption. The necessary hardware and firmware updates are currently in process to enable full 256-bit encryption for those customers who need it. Also note that further testing and benchmark analysis has already confirmed there will be no impact to performance or latency when operating the full 256-bit encryption due to our highly efficient embedded hardware encryption engines.
“AES-128” and “AES-256” refer to encryption key lengths of 128 and 256 bits respectively; the higher the number of bits in a key, the stronger the level of encryption. Click here for a detailed AES encryption overview.
LSI SandForce Based Products Support
LSI believes AES 128-bit encryption meets the data encryption requirements of most customers. Some SSD manufacturers do not advertise the AES encryption level, so the currently shipping AES-128 encryption default is operating as designed. Customers that believe they require 256-bit encryption should contact their SSD manufacturer to obtain specific information about their SSD.
Latest SandForce FW Update for SF-2000 Family Getting Positive User Feedback
MILPITAS, CA – December 9, 2011 – SandForce® has worked tirelessly with the LSI SandForce Driven™ SSD manufacturers, various industry product reviewers, and many end users, to duplicate the conditions necessary that resulted in Windows Blue Screen (BSOD) errors. In October we delivered new firmware to our SSD manufacturers that included changes designed to prevent these problems. Since that time we have received feedback from them and their users that looks like this problem has been resolved. Users who experience similar issues should contact their SandForce Driven SSD manufacturer to review their update process to install the latest firmware. Reliably reproducing this issue was unusually difficult for all involved, and SandForce sincerely appreciates the help and support from the industry and end users as we worked with the utmost priority to get this resolved.
Service and Support
SandForce designs and sells innovative and award-winning Flash Storage Processors to some of the world’s premier SSD OEMs and system manufacturers. They in turn sell complete SSD solutions to their customers for use in a wide range of enterprise storage systems and client desktop and laptop systems. If a user of a SandForce Driven SSD needs assistance with the installation, support, or service of their SSD, they should contact the SSD OEM or system manufacturer.
Firmware Updates
As with most electronic devices, SandForce Driven SSDs use a combination of hardware and firmware to control the Flash Storage processor inside. The firmware portion of the device can be upgraded as may be necessary to fix any possible discovered issues after it is manufactured. The firmware used on SandForce Driven SSDs is uniquely manufactured for each SSD OEM and system manufacturer, and for that reason any firmware updates created by LSI are provided through them, not LSI.