Memcon: Samsung Demonstrates CXL Capabilities and Introduces Memory Module for Scalable, Composable Disaggregated Infrastructure

At Memcon 2024, Samsung Electronics unveiled the expansion of its Compute Express Link (CXL) memory module portfolio and showcased its latest HBM3E technology, reinforcing leadership in high-performance and high-capacity solutions for AI applications.

Jin-Hyeok Choi, corporate EVP, head, R&D center, Samsung Semiconductor US

In a keynote address to a packed crowd at Santa Clara’s Computer History Museum, Jin-Hyeok Choi, corporate EVP, device solutions research America – memory, Samsung Electronics, along with SangJoon Hwang, corporate EVP, head, DRAM product and technology, Samsung Electronics, took the stage to introduce new memory solutions and discuss how Samsung is leading HBM and CXL innovations in the AI era. Joining Samsung on stage was Paul Turner, VP, product team, VCF division, VMware by Broadcom and Gunnar Hellekson, VP and GM, Red Hat to discuss how their software solutions combined with Samsung’s hardware technology is pushing the boundaries of memory innovation.

“AI innovation cannot continue without memory technology innovation,” said Choi. “As the market leader in memory, Samsung is proud to continue advancing innovation – from the industry’s most advanced CMM-B technology, to powerful memory solutions like HBM3E for high-performance computing and demanding AI applications. We are committed to collaborating with our partners and serving our customers to unlock the full potential of the AI era together.”

CXL Memory Module – Box (CMM-B)

Highlighting growing momentum in the CXL ecosystem, the company introduced its CXL Memory Module-Box (CMM-B), a cutting-edge CXL DRAM memory pooling product. The CMM-B can accommodate 8 CMM-D devices of E3.S form factor and provide up to 2TB of capacity. The memory capacity backed by high performance of up to 60GB/s bandwidth and latency of 596ns can serve various applications that need high capacity memory such as AI, in-memory database (IMDB), data analytics and others.

Rack Scale Composable Memory Bank

The company also partnered with Super Micro Computer, Inc. to demonstrate the industry’s 1st rack-level memory solution for highly scalable and composable disaggregated infrastructure. This solution leverages the firm’s CMM-B to increase memory capacity and bandwidth, enabling data centers to handle demanding workloads, unlike standard architectures that lack the necessary flexibility and efficiency for modern applications. The increased memory capacity and high-performance of up to 60GB/s bandwidth/server can enhance various applications that require high-capacity memory, such as AI, IMDB, data analytics and more.

CXL Memory Module – Hybrid (CMM-H)

On stage, the company and VMware by Broadcom also introduced project Peaberry, the world’s 1st FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays)-based tiered memory solution for hypervisors called CXL Memory Module Hybrid for Tiered Memory (CMM-H). This hybrid solution combines DRAM and NAND media in an Add-in Card (AIC) form factor to tackle memory management challenges, reduce downtime, optimize scheduling for tiered memory, and maximize performance, all while significantly reducing TCO.

Paul Turner, VP, product team, VCF division, VMware by Broadcom

“VMware by Broadcom is pleased to collaborate with Samsung to bring new innovations in memory,” he said. “Samsung’s leadership in memory technologies and VMware’s leadership in software memory tiering enables a new innovation in CXL and offers a compelling value-proposition with significant TCO benefits, better utilization of expensive DRAM resources, and improved consolidation of server resources while delivering the same great performance.”

Gunnar Hellekson, VP and GM, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat

In addition, the company showcased its CXL Memory Module – DRAM (CMM-D) technology, which uses the firm‘s DRAM technology integrated with the CXL open standard interface, facilitating efficient, low-latency connectivity between the CPU and memory expansion devices. Red Hat, Inc. successfully validated the company’s CMM-D devices with its enterprise software for the 1st time in the industry last year. The 2 companies will continue their collaboration through the Samsung Memory Research (SMRC) in developing CXL open-source and reference models, as well as partnering on a range of other storage and memory products.

CXL Memory Module – DRAM (CMM-D)

The company also gave 2024 Memcon attendees an opportunity to demo its latest HBM3E 12H chip – the world’s 1st 12-stack HBM3E DRAM, marking a breakthrough with the highest capacity ever achieved in HBM technology. The HBM3E 12H utilizes the company’s advanced thermal compression non-conductive film (TC NCF) technology, enhancing vertical density of the chip by over 20% compared to its predecessor, while also improving product yield. The company is sampling its HBM3E 12H to customers and plans to start mass production within 1H24.