What is an MVMe?

 

NVM Express (NVMe) or Non-Volatile Memory Host Controller Interface Specification (NVMHCIS) is an open, logical-device interface specification for accessing a computer's non-volatile storage media usually attached via PCI Express (PCIe) bus. The initialism NVM stands for non-volatile memory, which is often NAND flash memory that comes in several physical form factors, including solid-state drives (SSDs), PCIe add-in cards, and M.2 cards, the successor to mSATA cards. NVM Express, as a logical-device interface, has been designed to capitalize on the low latency and internal parallelism of solid-state storage devices.

Architecturally, the logic for NVMe is physically stored within and executed by the NVMe controller chip that is physically co-located with the storage media, usually an SSD. Version changes for NVMe, e.g., 1.3 to 1.4, are incorporated within the storage media, and do not affect PCIe-compatible components such as motherboards and CPUs.

By its design, NVM Express allows host hardware and software to fully exploit the levels of parallelism possible in modern SSDs. As a result, NVM Express reduces I/O overhead and brings various performance improvements relative to previous logical-device interfaces, including multiple long command queues, and reduced latency. The previous interface protocols like AHCI were developed for use with far slower hard disk drives (HDD) where a very lengthy delay (relative to CPU operations) exists between a request and data transfer, where data speeds are much slower than RAM speeds, and where disk rotation and seek time give rise to further optimization requirements.

NVM Express devices are chiefly available in the form of standard-sized PCI Express expansion cards and as 2.5-inch form-factor devices that provide a four-lane PCI Express interface through the U.2 connector (formerly known as SFF-8639). Storage devices using SATA Express and the M.2 specification which support NVM Express as the logical-device interface are a popular use-case for NVMe and have become the dominant form of solid-state storage for servers, desktops, and laptops alike.

Background

Historically, most SSDs used buses such as SATA, SAS or Fibre Channel for interfacing with the rest of a computer system. Since SSDs became available in mass markets, SATA has become the most typical way for connecting SSDs in personal computers; however, SATA was designed primarily for interfacing with mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs), and it became increasingly inadequate for SSDs, which improved in speed over time. For example, within about five years of mass market mainstream adoption (2005–2010) many SSDs were already held back by the comparatively slow data rates available for hard drives—unlike hard disk drives, some SSDs are limited by the maximum throughput of SATA.

High-end SSDs had been made using the PCI Express bus before NVMe, but using non-standard specification interfaces. By standardizing the interface of SSDs, operating systems only need one common device driver to work with all SSDs adhering to the specification. It also means that each SSD manufacturer does not have to design specific interface drivers. This is similar to how USB mass storage devices are built to follow the USB mass-storage device class specification and work with all computers, with no per-device drivers needed.

NVM Express devices are also used as the building block of the burst buffer storage in many leading supercomputers, such as Fugaku Supercomputer, Summit Supercomputer and Sierra Supercomputer, etc

History

The first details of a new standard for accessing non-volatile memory emerged at the Intel Developer Forum 2007, when NVMHCI was shown as the host-side protocol of a proposed architectural design that had Open NAND Flash Interface Working Group (ONFI) on the memory (flash) chips side. A NVMHCI working group led by Intel was formed that year. The NVMHCI 1.0 specification was completed in April 2008 and released on Intel's web site.

Technical work on NVMe began in the second half of 2009. The NVMe specifications were developed by the NVM Express Workgroup, which consists of more than 90 companies; Amber Huffman of Intel was the working group's chair. Version 1.0 of the specification was released on 1 March 2011,[19] while version 1.1 of the specification was released on 11 October 2012. Major features added in version 1.1 are multi-path I/O (with namespace sharing) and arbitrary-length scatter-gather I/O. It is expected that future revisions will significantly enhance namespace management. Because of its feature focus, NVMe 1.1 was initially called "Enterprise NVMHCI". An update for the base NVMe specification, called version 1.0e, was released in January 2013. In June 2011, a Promoter Group led by seven companies was formed.

The first commercially available NVMe chipsets were released by Integrated Device Technology (89HF16P04AG3 and 89HF32P08AG3) in August 2012. The first NVMe drive, Samsung's XS1715 enterprise drive, was announced in July 2013; according to Samsung, this drive supported 3 GB/s read speeds, six times faster than their previous enterprise offerings. The LSI SandForce SF3700 controller family, released in November 2013, also supports NVMe. A Kingston HyperX "prosumer" product using this controller was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show 2014 and promised similar performance. In June 2014, Intel announced their first NVM Express products, the Intel SSD data center family that interfaces with the host through PCI Express bus, which includes the DC P3700 series, the DC P3600 series, and the DC P3500 series. As of November 2014, NVMe drives are commercially available.

In March 2014, the group incorporated to become NVM Express, Inc., which as of November 2014 consists of more than 65 companies from across the industry. NVM Express specifications are owned and maintained by NVM Express, Inc., which also promotes industry awareness of NVM Express as an industry-wide standard. NVM Express, Inc. is directed by a thirteen-member board of directors selected from the Promoter Group, which includes Cisco, Dell, EMC, HGST, Intel, Micron, Microsoft, NetApp, Oracle, PMC, Samsung, SanDisk and Seagate.

In September 2016, the CompactFlash Association announced that it would be releasing a new memory card specification, CFexpress, which uses NVMe.

NVMe Host Memory Buffer (HMB) added in version 1.2 of the NVMe specification. HMB allows SSDs to utilize the host's DRAM, which can improve the I/O performance for DRAM-less SSDs

Babylon Zoo - Spaceman (Radio Edit)

Warzone 2.0 is Coming out Today!!!!

 

Warzone 2.0 is coming out today at (16th November 2022 6PM GMT) featuring an all new map called Al Mazrah, new Gulag, DMZ mode, Battle Pass and pre-load.

Please stop playing Destiny 2’s PS4 version on PS5, Bungie says

Playing Destiny 2 on your PlayStation 5? You might actually be playing the PlayStation 4 version. Bungie cheerfully reminded Guardians on Thursday to check the version they have installed.

“We’ve noticed a notable number of PS5 players playing the PS4 version of Destiny 2 on their current-generation consoles,” Bungie wrote. [Is the number itself notable, or is the number notable because it was noticed? —Ed.] The developers reminded players that “for the optimal experience for PlayStation goodness,” a free, upgraded version for PS5 is available — and has been since late 2020.

However, at the time we pointed out that “the PS5’s clunky interface [makes it] more complicated and annoying to download the upgrade on Sony’s new console.” Perhaps that accounts for why Bungie notably noticed a noteworthy number of people still logging into the PS4 game on PS5.

Find the Destiny 2 tile in your PS5’s Game Library.

Press Options.

Select “View Game.”

When you are taken to Destiny 2’s page on the PlayStation Store, click the three dot menu item.

That brings up another menu item (it says either PS5 | Full | Destiny 2 or PS4 and PS5 | Full | Destiny 2), which sends you to the PlayStation Store’s page for the upgrade. There’s a big download button there.

Destiny 2 players upgrading to the PS5 version should see a noticeable improvement in frame rate and resolution, as the game supports 4K and 60 frames per second. There are also improvements to loading times. Plus, you’re logging in with the same account, so everything carries over, and you can still partake in cross-play with your PS4 friends.

Source:https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/gaming/please-stop-playing-destiny-2-s-ps4-version-on-ps5-bungie-says/ar-AA13KEmr?ocid=anaheim-ntp-feeds&cvid=8740e23bc2454c91b487f1dc3af68ed2

The best free Xbox Series X games you can play right now!!

 It can be a bit hard to sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the best free Xbox Series X games. There are plenty of options out there, and the market for these sorts of video games is only continuing to expand. There’s something out there for nearly everyone, thankfully.

As always, it’s important to be wary of microtransactions and the monetization aspects of how free-to-play games operate – nearly all of which are different – but the vast majority of titles only gate cosmetic content behind purchases. Even if you don’t spend a single dime, the Xbox Series X titles below should give you a large amount of fun regardless. So keep reading for our list of the best free Xbox Series X games available right now.

Apex Legends 

EA’s free-to-play shooter appeared to arrive overnight, but instantly challenged Fortnite’s grip on the battle royale genre. By the end of its first month, February 2019, Apex Legends had reached over 50 million players, and hasn’t looked back since. The squad-based shooter’s endearing characters, and defined skill classes are likely why it's maintained a solid player base for the last two and a half years, and developer Respawn Entertainment – they of Titanfall and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order fame – has done a fine job supporting's its runaway hit. Unlike Fortnite’s lore-driven challenges, there isn’t too much in the way of guided strategy here – in Apex Legends, what you see is what you get, and it’s all the better for it! 

Brawlhalla

An accomplished, slick, and refined take on the Smash Brothers formula that’s brimming with energy and character. Speaking of character, Brawlhalla’s span all sorts of historical archetypes – from Vikings to Valkyries, medieval knights to Samurai warriors, and, of course, 1930s gangster because, well, why not? With that, expect chaotic bust-ups, high-flying aerial duels, and general bedlam on the battlefield in a game which, the longer you play, appears to stand alone despite paying constant deference to its inspiration. Another boon for Brawlhalla is its friendly free-to-play model – which offers players a limited selection of its character ensemble on free rotation, the rest of which can be bought with either in-game currency or real-world pennies.

Call of Duty Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone drops 150 players into a map, lets them complete contracts, collect loot and, of course, shoot loads of holes in each other with the refined FPS prowess we’ve come to expect from the enduring shooter series. Regular content drops and dense battlefields with plenty of hidey-holes make cautious, stealth-driven strategy as feasible as all-guns-blazing warfare – all of which is complemented by intuitive UI and a smart, easily accessible inventory system, allowing you to focus on what matters most: exercising your hair-trigger finger again and again again.

Destiny 2 

Destiny 2 may have begun life as a regular old pay-to-play game, but its 2019 update, New Light, flipped the free-to-play switch for all to enjoy on a complimentary basis. New Light gives players a tailor-made variation of the full-fat experience that’s focused on the content prior to Shadowkeep – the major expansion which landed alongside New Light. With that, expect a host of weapons, modes, activities, and all the general space opera shoot ‘em up gubbins you’ve to expect from Bungie’s sci-fi shooter series. This is of course a best free Xbox Series X games list, but Destiny 2’s crossplay support lets players play across PS5, Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Knockout City 

Knockout City might not immediately be on everyone’s radar, but the spunky free-to-play title from Velan Studios absolutely should be. The family-friendly brawler has multiple different modes where dodgeball maniacs take each other on in teams or free-for-all matches.

While there are plenty of team-based brawlers on the market, Knockout City stands out in part due to its stylish graphics and cosmetic options as well as its frenetic dodgeball-based gameplay. And even if you can’t manage to grab a ball itself, your teammates can ball up to function as one themself. There’s nothing quite like it.

Fortnite: Battle Royale

Fortnite is the battle royale ‘em up that followed the incredible overnight success of PUBG Battlegrounds and, somehow, made it even bigger. You know the format by now – 100 unarmed players parachute into the same map, scramble for loot and weapons, and ultimately fight to the death. The twist from Epic Games’ constantly evolving juggernaut, however, lets players build things on the fly – using gathered resources to throw up shelters, brick walls, and sky-scraping stairways as a means of defense and/or to gain a better vantage point in battle. As the ever-shortening circle of death squeezes the battlefield in its closing stages, building upwards can become increasingly important, making shootouts in the final stretch especially exciting.

Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite isn't just one of the best Halo games of all-time, it's also free-to-play! Well, its multiplayer is. 343 Industries released Halo Infinite's multiplayer across PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X in late 2021, and we're having a damned good time with it. The FPS is back to its best, returning to the arena-shooter roots that helped propel Halo 3 to legendary status back in the Xbox 360 years. While Xbox Game Studios is still trying to iron out some of the creases in progression and content rotation, the core experience is undoubtedly excellent. 

MultiVersus 

The free-to-play platform brawler MultiVersus gets compared to Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. franchise frequently, and for good reason: it’s essentially what that game would look like if infused with Warner Bros. properties instead. Regular updates, including the recent release of Black Adam to coincide with the film, means that MultiVersus constantly feels fresh as the meta never really has a chance to completely solidify.

While you could technically speed up the process of unlocking fighters and the like through spending some cash, there’s really no reason to bother. It’s a bit of a chore to unlock, but even the most basic fighters in the roster can be a lot of fun if you’re willing to give them a chance.

PUBG: Battlegrounds

The battle royale that started it all is now free-to-play. PUBG: Battlegrounds took the world by storm when it launched in 2017, inspiring the likes of Apex Legends, Fortnite, and Warzone. The version of the game that exists today is finely-tuned, content-rich, and a whole lot of fun. PUBG is slower and more tactical than the games that followed it – it can be punishing, particularly if you don't have a solid squad around you. But don't let that intimidate you, because PUBG is a truly excellent game that is deserving of your time and attention.

Roblox  

Roblox is a family-friendly combination of GTA Online, Fortnite, and Minecraft that favors creation. Like, really favors creation. Its players tend to belong to younger generations, but that doesn’t stop its most creative minds from contributing upwards of 20 million different projects to the platform on an annual basis – with MMO pet game Adopt Me!, episodic horror game Piggy, and RPG school-themed venture Royale High among its most popular servers. Fold in themed events, such as community-wide Easter egg hunts, and virtual Secret Santas, and Roblox has more than earned its place among the best free Xbox Series X games out there today.

Splitgate

Splitgate is carrying the flag for old school shooters. Even with Halo Infinite doing its best to re-capture its arena shooter roots, Splitgate feels like a more mechanically faithful interpretation of the Halo 3 era. Which is weird, given that it also incorporates a portal system, bringing a new degree of dimensionality to its tightly designed spaces. Splitgate is a lot of fun and only getting better now that it's leaving its 'early access' period for its first full season of play. 

Warframe

The Warframe which exists today is not the same game that launched in 2013. That’s thanks to the countless updates developer Digital Extremes has shoveled into the willing hands of the sci-fi shooter’s hardcore fan-base, who, similar to communities such as EVE: Online, travel the world to meet and socialize with their fellow Tenno. With an engaging story mode, PvE quests, competitive deathmatches, and breakneck multiplayer, there’s plenty to keep free-to-play patrons going here – to the point where, with so much going on, it’s quite amazing that Warframe can still be enjoyed in full without spending a penny. Also: filling the shoes of a space ninja will never, ever get boring.

Rocket League 

Rocket League set the gold standard for vehicular sports video games back when it first released and it has only continued to be popular since transitioning to a free-to-play model in late 2020. While certain cosmetic additions and the like are now available for purchase, the base gameplay of cars rushing a large ball around an enclosed field while performing acrobatic stunts to score goals remains unchanged.

Compared to some of the other free video games on the Xbox Series X, Rocket League requires a certain amount of skill and understanding of timing to truly enjoy, and good players can easily stomp bad ones, but all it takes is a little practice to be zooming circles around other players.

The Sims 4

The Sims franchise in general needs little introduction, and The Sims 4 is just the latest and greatest version of the long-running simulation game. Players customize characters, homes, and more while managing the daily lives of their simulated people like who they hang out with and what kind of work they do.

While initially launched as a product you simply buy, The Sims 4 recently went completely free. That’s just the base game, however. If you’re looking for some of the wilder options like, say, high school life or Star Wars, you’ll need to shell out for the game’s DLC packs. Even so, the base version is charming enough even if the console’s controller layout is a bit wonky.

Fall Guys 

Did you know that Falls Guys is free now? You can just download it and… start stumbling across obstacles courses and the like, no money required. While it was initially released in 2020, it relaunched as a free-to-play title when it released on additional platforms earlier this year – and that includes the Xbox Series X|S.

There are, of course, technically ways in which you can spend money in Fall Guys, but they are purely cosmetic and a number of goodies can be earned simply through playing. And while it might not have the same amount of popularity as it did immediately out of the gate, the title is regularly updated and there are still plenty of fellow beans to play against in multiple stumbling rounds to try and win digital crowns as a symbol of your success and skill.

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/gaming/the-best-free-xbox-series-x-games-you-can-play-right-now/ar-AAPzs99?ocid=anaheim-ntp-feeds&cvid=eb65197382ee4398a4f42750bf5b4a0e