Introduction to Samsung’s CXL 2.0 DRAM Initiative
Samsung Electronics Co. is at the forefront of next-generation memory technology with its investment in Compute Express Link (CXL). On Thursday, Jangseok Choi, vice president of Samsung’s new business planning team, announced plans to mass-produce 256 GB DRAM supporting CXL 2.0 by the end of this year. This move is expected to revolutionize high-performance server systems by enhancing memory efficiency and capacity.
Significance of CXL Technology
CXL technology promises to significantly enhance the efficiency of high-performance server systems. It provides a unified interface for accelerators, DRAM, and storage devices used with CPUs and GPUs. According to Samsung, CXL technology will increase memory capacity per server by eight to ten times, marking a substantial leap in computing power. This technology is currently in the final stages of development, with Samsung testing products with partners for performance verification.
Innovations in CXL Memory Module Technology
Choi highlighted the company’s new Compute Express Link (CXL) Memory Module (CMM) technology. CMM allows for additional memory in spaces typically reserved for SSDs, enhancing the CPU’s ability to transmit large volumes of data around the main memory. This complements existing DRAM functionality and further optimizes server performance.
Future Prospects and Industry Impact
One of the key features of Samsung’s CXL 2.0 DRAM, developed in May 2023, is the memory pooling feature. This technology creates a shared pool of memory by combining multiple CXL memories on a server platform, allowing hosts to access and utilize memory from this pool as needed. This results in a more efficient use of the entire CXL memory capacity, reduced data transfer bottlenecks, and improved overall system performance and flexibility.
Choi expects the CXL market to start blooming in the second half of the year and to experience explosive growth from 2028. Samsung’s establishment of the industry’s first CXL infrastructure certified by Red Hat underscores its commitment to leading in this transformative technology.
