Last year, we discussed with our readers the challenges that the SSD market would face following the release of new Flash Memory products and the advancements in their technologies; we also touched on the importance of controller IC design, as well as explained the general impact that it would have on the performance of various types of SSDs. For this year, we will be bringing the IC design discussion a step further by focusing on the current state of controller developments and their role in shaping the future of SSD products.