SanDisk 2014 Annual Report Download - page 74

PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Overview
Who We Are. SanDisk Corporation is a global leader in flash storage solutions with a strong history of
innovative products. Flash storage technology allows digital information to be stored in a durable, compact
format that retains the data even without power. Our flash-based products enable businesses and
consumers to efficiently and effectively capture, share and preserve digital content. Our products include
flash storage solutions for enterprise data centers and client computing platforms, as well as removable and
embedded flash products for mobile devices, cameras, automotive, connected home electronics and other
applications. Our products are used in a variety of large markets, and we distribute our products globally
through commercial and retail channels. We offer simple, reliable and affordable flash storage solutions
for use by consumers and enterprises in a wide variety of devices and applications. We were incorporated
in the State of Delaware in June 1988. Since 2006, we have been a Standards & Poor, or S&P, 500 company
and since 2011, we have been a Fortune 500 company.
What We Do. We design, develop and manufacture data storage solutions in a variety of form factors
using flash memory, controller, firmware and software technologies. Our solutions include a broad range
of solid state drives, or SSDs, embedded products, removable cards, universal serial bus, or USB, drives,
wireless media drives, digital media players, and wafers and components. Our SSD products are used in
both enterprise data centers and client computing platforms and provide high-speed, high-capacity storage
solutions that can be used in lieu of hard disk drives. Our embedded flash products are used in mobile
phones, tablets, computing platforms, imaging devices, automobiles and many other products. Our
removable cards are used in a wide range of applications such as mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras,
gaming devices, personal computers, or PCs, automobiles and many other products. We also offer software
solutions that can be used in conjunction with flash storage products to optimize performance in various
computing and data center environments.
Most of our products are made by combining NAND flash memory with a controller and firmware.
We purchase substantially all of our NAND flash supply through our venture relationships with Toshiba
Corporation, or Toshiba, which produce and provide us with leading-edge, high-quality NAND wafers.
From time-to-time, we also purchase flash memory from other NAND flash manufacturers. We use
controllers that we have designed in-house as well as controllers purchased from third-parties. Our
controllers that are designed in-house are manufactured at third-party foundries. The vast majority of our
products use firmware that is developed in-house.
Industry Background
We operate in the flash storage solutions market. NAND flash memory is the current mainstream
technology used for flash storage solutions, providing the benefits of a small form factor, fast write speed,
solid-state architecture and the ability to retain data without a power source. NAND flash memory has
been characterized by rapid technology transitions which have reduced the cost per bit by increasing the
density of the memory die on the wafer. The benefits of NAND flash memory have led to the proliferation
of its usage in a wide variety of devices and applications.
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