Crucial launches nvdimm memory
Crucial (Micron) today launches nvdimm memory for server. It is quite interesting as this type of memory combines dram and nand on one single module. This way you will get the performance of dram but during a power outage, your data will remain intact.
Nvdimm is short for nonvolatile DIMM memory and takes a seat into DDR4 memory slots of servers. The 288pin DIMMs offer a speed of 2133MT/s and a bandwidth of 17 GB/s . The memory operates at the standard JEDEC voltage of 1.2V . When a power outage or other interruption system controller transmits the signal to the module so that the data of the dram to the non - volatile memory will be written.
Once power kicks back in allows the controller will write the data to dram again, at that point the system can continue as-is. Crucial sells nvdimm as a separate module and a 2.5 " -formfactor combined with a PowerGem capacitor from AgigA Tech, which temporarily keeps the DIMM powered during outages. Crucial only offers 8GB nvdimms. According to Micron 16GB versions are coming.
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I'm reading that it only writes to NAND when the power is interrupted.
I'm still not sure how this would work. Are they saying we wouldn't need to reboot the server? It would just magically skip the 5-10 minute boot process and just jump right back to its previous running state? I can't see that happening....
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I'm reading that it only writes to NAND when the power is interrupted.
I'm still not sure how this would work. Are they saying we wouldn't need to reboot the server? It would just magically skip the 5-10 minute boot process and just jump right back to its previous running state? I can't see that happening....
Then They have to have capacitors or backup battery which will keep memory operational during writing data to nand.
That would work. Data in CPU cache would still be lost, unless even CPU/MB has UPS backup. And as it reaches low power it would trigger 'suspend to ram'.
With 'suspend to ram' CPU no longer works on data and as UPS runs out of power, memory will write its nand.
Upon recovery of electricity delivery system has to initiate reverse 'suspend to ram'.
How that's triggered when entire MB goes out of power, I do not know.
But considering all complications in this chain and requirements to have UPS anyway to prevent errors from CPU cache loss...
I think UPS + classical software initiated hibernation is practically same solution with less complications.
Hell, Even my UPS can tell to PC to shutdown/hibernate when it is running out of juice.
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I don't really see the practicality of this application...
Most data centers, like the one I'm sitting in, have redundant generators. If the city grid loses power the building can still stay running without interruption for several days.
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Memory, that's a lot of changed bits every second on server. If it is stored on nand...
What's life expectancy? Do they use like 64GB nand on 8GB memory module to actually keep it from sudden death?
I was thinking the same thing... I can't imagine this lasting much longer than a year or two in the average server. Not to mention, there will hardly be any hardware out there that can actually take advantage of the non-volatile feature.
As stated by others, it's better to just use backup power sources and redundancy. Even if it's just a brownout, a few seconds of downtime could cost a fortune for companies that could afford something like this (especially if it has a very limited lifespan, and requires frequent replacement).
Is this even ECC or buffered?
EDIT:
Just an afterthought - seeing as most servers run Linux, it's possible to "freeze" applications. Meaning, you can effectively hibernate the program without closing it or shutting off the computer, where you can then restore the application later on. If retaining a memory status is really so important, to me, it'd make more sense to use a cron job to freeze the application every 10 minutes or so. Depending on what's being processed, 10 minutes of lost time is better than several hours. Still a stupid idea, regardless.
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Memory, that's a lot of changed bits every second on server. If it is stored on nand...
What's life expectancy? Do they use like 64GB nand on 8GB memory module to actually keep it from sudden death?