Question: Does anyone know what imecs "memory vehicle" actually is?
As in form factor?
Memory implies DRAM.
Because storage is either 3.5 inch HDD, 2.5 inch SSD or M.2's....
I'm sure you all know this - but here goes.
Current generation DRAM, ddr4 is a 288 pin card. usually with 8 dies on the card. Capable of transferring up to ~26GB/s.
Like this (link)
Note: the RGB lighting is completely unecessary and is something geeks do for fun on their gaming rigs. Underneath the RGB module and heat extracting case they look like this (link)
ddr5 (specifications recently announced by international specification setting body, JEDEC) is also ~288 pin card (i think...).
It will theoretically be capable of 50Gb/s transfer rate. So very large bandwidth.
It's speeds are also faster.
And it draws less power to achieve this than current gen ddr4.
The first ddr5 modules are just starting to appear.
On a consumer PC DRAM sits right next to the CPU on the motherboard.
I'm less familiar with data center racks like this unit from our girlfriend,
Western Digital (link)
But basically each shelf in the rack will hold a bunch of HDDs, SSDs or a combination.
Each shelf is connected to a switch,
something like this (link), that connects the 'call' to the shelf and then storage location.
CPUs are flung in the mix somewhere along the lines.
And the user receives the data shortly thereafter. Connection quality, hardware used etc will dictate speed of retrieval.
DRAM does not store data after the power is switched off. It just calls it up from the storage device & ques it then handballs it to the CPU for processing.
Anyway,
if imecs "memory vehicle" is a RAM stick (a 288 pin card) that slots in right next to the CPU...
Can we assume that what they're trying to do here is displace DRAM
and storage?
So on a consumer PC you could theoretically have no HDD or SSD and just slot in a SCM into the RAM slots?
Effectively think of your current RAM sticks as also storing your OS, your applications, your video games, photos, movies etc. whilst some capacity is left free to call and que incoming data from your wifi card?
How big is the DRAM market? $100 billion annually?
Storage market? $56 billion annually?
In reality you would still have users (individuals and enterprises) occupying HDD's and SSD's because their applications don't require the speed presented by putting a new type of memory in the RAM slots. And also the price per Gig for SSD's is peanuts, HDD's are even cheaper.
On the consumer side you would definitely host your OS on it. And any application you use regularly. Your PC would turn on before you even plugged it into the wall, that's how fast it would be if it truly is DRAM speed.
The protocol and software implications of this are quite large. I think I have mentioned that before. Software would need to be re-written to take advantage of it. And the underlying protocols ie: 'the framework'.
I previously mentioned PCIe5 and M.2 form factors... but I now think they're going straight for ddr4/ ddr5 form factor. Could be wrong... anyone know what form imecs "memory vehicle" is?
Just some random thoughts for you.
Gee I would sincerely love that road map...
