#124: Standardization for a Key-Value Interface underway at SNIA and NVM Express

Storage Developer Conference

NVMe KV (Key-Value) is an industry-wide proposal for a new command structure that allows access to data on an NVMe SSD controller using a “key” rather than a block address. Developed within the NVM Express technical working group, this Key Value command set provides a “key” to store a corresponding “value” on non-volatile media, then retrieves that “value” from the media by specifying the corresponding “key.” In addition to extensive work being undertaken by the NVM Express working group, the SNIA has completed an overarching KeyValue API released for a membership vote in January 2019. This presentation examines standardization efforts going on within SNIA and the NVM Express working group that will allow users to access key-value data without the costly and time-consuming overhead of additional translation tables between keys and logical blocks. Learning Objectives: 1) What is the status of standards development; 2) Overview of what is in the SNIA KV API; 3) Overview of what is in the NVMe KV proposal.