Selecting the right flash-based storage device for your application often demands a tradeoff between cost, capacity, and robustness. For instance. while Single-level Cell (SLC)-based drives offer the most durability and longevity, they are also more expensive per GB than Multi-level Cell (MLC)-based drives. However, MLC-based drives have a much shorter life span than SLC drives which can be particularly problematic when stored at elevated temperatures. To help determine which type of flash memory to use, we need to understand the life expectancy of each option and compare that to the requirements of the application. We start by asking the following questions: • Which flash architecture are available? • How efficiently is the flash going to be used? • What will be the non-operating (storage) temperature? • What is the minimum acceptable non-operating (storage) duration? This document discusses each of these factors and how they impact the Drive Endurance formula when used to calculate how much data can be written…