Author: Kwok Kong

NVM Express (NVMe) is the scalable host controller interface designed for PCI Express®(PCIe®)-based solid state drives and defines the host driver interface. PMC has contributed to the NVMe specification since its inception and continues to work with industry leaders to create a robust NVMe driver ecosystem.

PMC helped drive the initial development of the first NVMe Open Source Windows driver with key partners in 2011. The first major release of this driver was completed in Q2 2012.  PMC continues to chair this working group, which has since accomplished four major releases of the Windows driver.  The next release, version 1.4, is scheduled for Q4 2014 with the major focus on stability and ensuring certification with the Windows Hardware Certification Kit (HCK), which will enable this driver to be digitally signed by WHQL. The release package may be downloaded from https://www.openfabrics.org/index.php/developer-tools/nvme-windows-development.html

You can participate in the development of the NVM Express Windows driver by joining the mailing list nvmewin@lists.openfabrics.org. To subscribe to the OFA NVM Express Windows driver mailing list, please visit http://lists.openfabrics.org/mailman/listinfo/nvmewin.

The driver passed the ESXi 5.0 certification with an NVMe SSD based on PMC’s Flashtec™ NVMe Controller, and it is ready to be extended to support NVMe SSDs from other vendors. It’s a SCSI driver and the source code may be downloaded from http://nvmevmklinuxdriver.sourceforge.net/.