Kaminario Gives Data Storage A DRAMatic Speed Boost
Many start-ups are developing technology to give data storage a speed boost, mostly by using flash memory, the kind of chip found in mobile devices like smartphones and digital cameras.
But one company, Kaminario Inc., whose backers include Sequoia Capital, is solving that problem with the more powerful dynamic random-access memory, or DRAM, which has been standard in personal computers for decades.
As the price and performance of flash have moved in opposite directions, it’s not surprising to see several start-ups using it to replace hard-disk drives, but building a storage system around DRAM is a less obvious bet. Though it’s exponentially faster than flash, DRAM is volatile, meaning when the power goes out, your data is gone.
