SanDisk has just rolled out a spanking new solid-state storage solution that works pretty much the same way as a computer’s hard drive, storing and launching the PC’s operating system and software applications. Dubbed the SanDisk Vaulter Disk, it functions in a tag-team format with the hard drive in order to provide enhanced performance compared to a standard computer that has only a hard drive. Since both the Vaulter and hard drive are already integrated into the PC and operate simultaneously, you get to maintain a low cost per gigabyte factor while experiencing better performance.

The Vaulter Disk is actually a flash-based PCI Express module that enables both laptop and desktop computer manufacturers to harness the speed of embedded flash memory for frequently accessed files, while less frequently accessed data will be stored on a spinning hard drive instead. The Vaulter Disk is extremely selective in the type of data it holds – it requires just the right amount to host the computer’s operating system and selected optional user data that is benefited by the faster access time using flash memory. As for the hard drive, it will do what it has been doing all along – storing files, user generated content and applications that do not require nor benefit from superior seek times. When both of them operate in parallel, seasoned PC users ought to notice an improvement in overall speed and performance.

You can look forward to picking up the SanDisk Vaulter disk from next year onwards, and it will come in capacities ranging from 8GB to 16GB. According to Doreet Oren, SanDisk director of product marketing for the computing solutions division, “This system solution brings SanDisk’s flash performance benefits to the price-sensitive consumer who needs high-capacity storage. While we make other products for the PC market, Vaulter allows us to expand our offerings.” Another SanDisk executive added, “SanDisk Vaulter Disk consistently boosts user responsiveness by taking advantage of the best native characteristics of a flash-based module and a hard drive. It is the parallel operation of both Vaulter and the hard disk that provides an affordable solution for consumer PC users who will benefit from flash memory performance.”

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