flashconnected

Flashconnected is a software and hardware ecosystem that enables direct, low-latency data transfer between local flash storage and networked services. It offers a standard API and transport protocol for edge devices, storage appliances, and data centers to publish and subscribe to data streams produced by flash memory. The aim is to minimize CPU usage and preserve data locality and integrity.

Developed by the Flash Connected Initiative, a consortium of storage vendors, device manufacturers, and software developers, the project began in 2018 with an open specification released in 2020. The governing Flash Connected Alliance maintains reference implementations and certification programs.

Technical core: flashconnected defines a client API, a TLS-based transport layer, and a data plane that supports zero-copy streaming of data blocks and metadata. Data is organized into frames and streams with optional compression and schema validation. The protocol supports push-based streams and request–response interactions and interoperates with existing messaging systems through adapters. Reference implementations cover C, Rust, Go, and Python.

Use cases include real-time telemetry from edge sensors with onboard flash, rapid ingestion from SSD-backed gateways into cloud data lakes, and content delivery workflows requiring fast cache updates. The ecosystem includes developer tools, simulators, and a certification program to foster interoperability.

Reception is mixed. Proponents cite low latency and streamlined pipelines; critics warn of potential vendor lock-in and the need for robust security and governance. Security features emphasize end-to-end encryption, access controls, secure boot, and tamper-evident logging.