System memory is a complex problem. More memory means more performance, especially in a virtualized environment. But more memory also requires more power, and that can add up as you start to get into thousands of memory sticks.
Plus, you can only put so many memory sticks in a server, depending on the number of slots available. So how do you increase memory capacity? By increasing memory density on the chips, which is easier said than done. However, a startup called NEO Semiconductor is claiming it will be able to increase memory density by up to eight times over standard memory with a breakthrough 3D design.
It’s not a new concept; 3D memory stacking has been used in NAND flash to increase capacity for a decade now. Memory transistors can only be so large to fit in the confines of a DRAM chip. Rather than an increase the number of transistors laid out side by side, memory makers began stacking it on top of each other, thus increasing capacity in the same physical space. In the 10 years since 3D stacking began, NAND flash DRAM has reached the 170-layer mark, and SSDs have seen a significant increase in capacity without increasing the number of chips.
To read this article in full, please click here
Source:: Network World – Data Center