3D Xpoint memory: Faster-than-flash storage unveiled

[AtW]

More here:

What a New Class of Memory Means for Future Applications

[AtW]

If you can make non-volatile memory fast enough, then that changes everything. No need to "load" anything; the whole "disk" can be mapped into your address space.

Aye.

Sadly the endurance levels won't be good enough to replace RAM, however non-sector addressability of the stuff is very big thing, plus I reckon it's relatively low power (and thus heat) since unlike RAM it does not need electric charge to maintain states (hence non-volatility).

For example for games it could be used to generate really large off memory textures that will be loaded on demand - much quicker than even from SSD.

[VectraMan]

If you can make non-volatile memory fast enough, then that changes everything. No need to "load" anything; the whole "disk" can be mapped into your address space.

[AtW]

Ah, I wasn't sure if it was non-volatile.

Well if they can get it compact and reliable enough, with a large enough number of write/read cycles before it conks out, then yes it is a big deal.

It's claimed to have 1000 better endurance than flash, BIT ADDRESSABLE (so no sector reads), 1000 times quicker than SSD, highly dense - 10 times compared to 1 GB of RAM.

Very fast random access is key to be RAM-like, not exactly RAM, but non-volatile nature means lots of stuff can be stored reliably and randomly accessed direct from CPU. Phwoar

Worth reading more about it -

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/2...-ddr4-and-nand

Best part is that it should be available in 2016, rather than in 5-10 years.

[OwlHoot]

... it's a new tier of random access non-volatile memory that will slow in between RAM and SSD/HDD.

Ah, I wasn't sure if it was non-volatile.

Well if they can get it compact and reliable enough, with a large enough number of write/read cycles before it conks out, then yes it is a big deal.

[MicrosoftBob]

FFS, I would have gotten more responses on mumsnet - is this IT forum or what? Breakthrough storage event and nobody is bothered

We're hardly talking suity beaker, this is hardly mumsnet material

[AtW]

However it seems just something to be used for CPU cache.

No, it's not fast enough for being CPU cache (ie L1, L2), it's a new tier of random access non-volatile memory that will slow in between RAM and SSD/HDD.

[unixman]

Right up until the last sentence it sounded like a revolutionary jump forward in general computer memory.

However it seems just something to be used for CPU cache. Which is fine, but nothing like as universal or exciting.

[NickFitz]

FFS, I would have gotten more responses on mumsnet - is this IT forum or what? Breakthrough storage event and nobody is bothered

I'm still waiting for bubble memory to become widely available

[AtW]

FFS, I would have gotten more responses on mumsnet - is this IT forum or what? Breakthrough storage event and nobody is bothered

[OwlHoot]

Presumably Skylake won't support it and it will be another reason to hang on and ride out the technology cycle a bit longer

Yes we may as well wait for Cannonlake now, and at the same time be sure of a motherboard that supports USB-C or its successor.

Dammit, why do they keep releasing new architectures and standards so often? At this rate I'll be using my fifteen year old PC for ever!

[AtW]

New memory type was listed for Knights Landing Xeons, it was thought to be HBM, which it still can be, but this stuff is a miracle - they would not have run press conference if they were not sure of production qualities of the stuff. Getting a new tier of memory between RAM and SSD/HDD is great, it's possible it might even allow RAMless configs (CPUs are very good at caching RAM accesses these days).

[MicrosoftBob]

Presumably Skylake won't support it and it will be another reason to hang on and ride out the technology cycle a bit longer

[AtW]

"A new kind of memory technology is going into production, which is up to 1,000 times faster than the Nand flash storage used in memory cards and computers' solid state drives (SSDs).

The innovation is called 3D XPoint, and is the invention of Intel and Micron.

The two US companies predict a wide range of benefits, from speeding up scientific research to making more elaborate video games.

One expert described it as a "huge step forward".

"There are other companies who have talked about new types of memory technology, but this is about being able to manufacture the stuff - that's why they are making such a big deal out of it," says Bob O'Donnell, from the consultancy Technalysis.

If all goes to plan, the first products to feature 3D XPoint (pronounced cross-point) will go on sale next year. Its price has yet to be announced.

Intel is marketing it as the first new class of "mainstream memory" since 1989.

Rather than pitch it as a replacement for either flash storage or RAM (random access memory), the company suggests it will be used alongside them to hold certain data "closer" to a processor so that it can be accessed more quickly than before."

Source: 3D Xpoint memory: Faster-than-flash storage unveiled - BBC News