The Future of Memory and Storage (FMS) 2024 wrapped up on August 8 in Santa Clara, California. This event is a key date in the storage calendar. So, what better time to look back at the storage highlights than right now? Let's dive in and explore!
Highlight 1: NVMe 2.1 Spec Update
First up is NVM Express, which announced three new specifications and eight updated specifications on August 7. This update enhances support across all major transports, introducing key features for modern computing while simplifying development and reducing time to market.
"Beginning as a single PCIe® SSD specification, NVMe technology has grown into nearly a dozen specifications, including multiple command sets, that provide pivotal support for NVMe technology across all major transports and standardize many aspects of storage," said Peter Onufryk, NVM Express Technical Workgroup Chair. "NVMe technology adoption continues to grow and has succeeded in unifying client, cloud, AI and enterprise storage around a common architecture."
The three new specifications include the NVMe Boot specification, the Subsystem Local Memory command set and the Computational Programs command set. The updated specifications cover the NVMe 2.1 Base specification, Command Set specifications (of NVM, ZNS, and Key Value), Transport specifications (of PCIe, Fibre Channel, RDMA, and TCP) and the NVMe Management Interface specification.
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Highlight 2: KIOXIA Displayed Optical Interface SSD
Next up, KIOXIA showcased their optical SSD, an eye-catching technology poised to transform storage architectures in data centers and high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
Kioxia is developing an optical interface SSD suitable for PCIe Gen8 and later. The current demo version supports short-distance (about 40 meters) optical connections and plans to expand it to a distance of 100 meters in the future.
The SSD uses a special optical interface connector rather than a standard Multi-Fiber Push-on (MPO) or Multi-fiber Termination Push-on (MTP) connector. The latter is smaller but can't provide power.
The optical interface technology allows SSDs to be placed far from hot CPUs and GPUs, preventing the high temperatures generated by these heat sources and ensuring that SSDs operate at optimal temperatures. Additionally, it can be switched using optics. In theory, one could then use switches to aggregate bandwidth, share devices, and extend the distance between SSDs and host servers.
Current optical SSDs are still in the early stages, facing standardization and compatibility issues that need to be resolved for better integration with other devices. The high cost of optical interface technology must be reduced to enhance its market adoption. Additionally, optical SSDs must align with faster network technologies, such as 800 GbE, to fully utilize bandwidth resources. Optical switches facilitate flexible SSD expansion and resource pooling, which are essential for data centers and HPC environments.
KIOXIA's optical SSD is a technology worth noting, which could hopefully transform storage systems in data centers and for HPC workloads. The optical interface technology allows data transfer over long distances and provides flexible resource allocation via optical switches. And yes, while there are challenges in standardization, cost, and compatibility, its potential is huge, and this will only grow as the technology matures. We look forward to seeing more use of these optical interface SSDs.
Highlight 3: CXL Is Still a Trending Topic
1. XConn and MemVerge
At the FMS 2024, XConn Technologies and MemVerge also demonstrated the first scalable Compute Express Link (CXL) memory sharing solution. The solution leverages CXL technology to enhance performance and reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) for in-memory databases and AI applications. By combining MemVerge's intelligent tiering software with XConn's high-performance CXL interconnect switch, the solutions shows how effective CXL is at accelerating high demand applications.
The XConn "Apollo" CXL 2.0 switch is the industry's first and only CXL 2.0 interconnect solution that also works with shipping CXL 1.1 server processors from Intel and AMD. Designed to accelerate the system design process to power the future of AI-enabled computing, the XConn "Apollo" CXL 2.0 switch supports environments that leverage a CXL Memory Pool, eliminating traditional memory barriers and revolutionizing memory architecture. It also supports PCIe 5.0 standards. Both PCIe and CXL can now be supported in a single design. With 2,048 GB/s of total bandwidth and 256 lanes, the XConn Apollo switch offers unprecedented flexibility for system designers that want to capitalize on Just a Bunch Of GPUs (JBOG) and Just a Bunch Of Accelerators (JBOA) processing configurations.
MemVerge Memory Machine for CXL is the Big Memory platform that manages the memory-storage hierarchy for agile server memory expansion and fabric-attached memory. Charles Fan, CEO and co-founder of MemVerge, said, "MemVerge software unlocks the performance potential of fabric-attached memory by allowing applications to share memory."
The partnership between XConn and MemVerge showcases the potential of CXL technology in AI and in-memory databases. By using scalable memory sharing, the solution boosts performance and reduces TCO. The combo of the XConn Apollo CXL 2.0 switch with the MemVerge Memory Machine for CXL offers robust infrastructure support for AI and HPC applications, and will no doubt be the driving force for next-generation computing architectures.
2. MSI and MemVerge
In addition, MSI, a leading global server provider, showcased its new CXL-based server platform powered by 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors at the Samsung and MemVerge booths. The CXL memory expansion server is designed to enhance In-Memory Database, Electronic Design Automation (EDA), and HPC application performance. MSI's CXL memory expansion server integrates cutting-edge technology from AMD EPYC processors and supports CXL 2.0 memory expansion standard. Furthermore, the software from MemVerge optimizes the cost and performance of AI and other memory-intensive workloads by intelligently managing tiers of memory.
3. Fadu
Fadu, Inc. unveiled enterprise SSD controllers and CXL solutions optimized for Al datacenter at the FMS conference, highlighting its strategy to lead in next-gen enterprise SSD solutions and establish itself as a pioneer in Gen5 and Gen6 controllers. And the company delivered Flexible Data Placement (FDP) technology, sparking a discussion of standards for the next-gen data centers. Furthermore, the company also unveiled the new system to strengthen the performance by optimizing the connectivity between GPUs, High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), and SSDs through CXL switches.
4. Wolley
Wolley previously showcased its PCI-SIG 5.0 certified CXL controller IP core at FMS 2023. Since then, the company has continued to create and bring the CXL into applications beyond the data center, such as AI PC and automotive. At the FMS 2024, Wolley provided a demo of the NVMe Over CXL and FleX solutions. NVMe over CXL offers a high-performance virtualization architecture to support the huge memory capacity needed for AI, while FleX technology integrates CXL memory directly onto the motherboard.
NVMe over CXL indicates the integration of virtualized memory and storage. Wolley has developed a solution using CXL and allowing efficient memory accesses with the CXL.mem protocol over that same PCIe physical interface while the CXL.io protocol supports all the legacy features of the NVMe without rewriting the applications. Race conditions in resource allocation are resolved by integrating storage and memory on the same device.
Highlight 4: NEO Published 3D X-AI Chip Tech
At FMS, NEO Semiconductor also announced 3D X-AI chip technology that replaces the HBMs to resolve bottlenecks in the data bus. Here, 3D DRAM performs AI operations, which reduces huge amount of data.
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Highlight 5: Storage Vendors Flourishing with Their Cutting-Edge Products and Technologies
1. KIOXIA
KIOXIA showcased how its flash memory solutions drive advancements and improvements in hundreds of applications across a wide range of market segments (from AI, IoT, and automotive to data centers, clouds, and edges).
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2. Western Digital
Western Digital showcased its latest solutions and technology demonstrations at FMS 2024 that improve performance, capacity, and efficiency for AI workloads. These solutions cover diverse market segments from hyperscale cloud computing to automotive and consumer storage.
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3. Phison
Phison demonstrated its cutting-edge technologies and products at the FMS 2024. These solutions are designed to meet the demands of modern, data-intensive workloads, ranging from small-and medium-sized businesses that want to leverage aiDAPTIV to large-enterprise data center storage that scales quickly.
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4. Micron
Micron demonstrated its PCIe Gen6 data center SSD technology for ecosystem development as part of a portfolio of memory and storage products to support the broad demand for AI.
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5. Innodisk
Innodisk showcased its latest progress in the field of data intelligence and a new lineup of storage and memory solutions designed to power AI applications at FMS 2024.
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1) InnoPPE detection solution: This solution is enhanced with the NX Witness Server and emphasizes the importance of safety in industrial environments.
2) InnoTracking solution: This solution demonstrates advanced tracking capabilities for logistics and asset management.
6. DapuStor
DapuStor cooperates with Marvell Technology to unveil Flexible Data Placement (FDP) technology optimized for QLC and TLC SSDs. This technology aims to address the inherent challenges of QLC SSDs, improving their performance, endurance, and capacity, thereby providing a robust and cost-effective solution for data centers, cloud computing, and high-performance computing environments.
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7. Silicon Motion
Silicon Motion announced SM2508, the best power efficiency PCIe Gen5 NVMe 2.0 client SSD controller for AI PCs and gaming consoles. In addition, the Silicon Motion exhibit also included the MonTitan PCIe Gen5 enterprise SSD development platform for AI storage workloads, UFS 4.0 and USB storage solutions for AI PCs and AI smartphones, and advanced storage solutions for automotive and IoT edge applications.
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The above is the current incomplete record of FMS 2024 compiled by the editor. We welcome your continuous attention. Follow-up technical analysis of FMS 2024. Thank you for your support!
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