Breaking New Ground: How Micron's CZ120 Memory Modules are Revolutionizing Data Centers

Micron Technology has announced it has achieved qualification sample for its industry-first CZ120 memory expansion modules marking a new milestone for data centre technology, just as the CXL ecosystem begins to accelerate further adoption of Compute Express Link (CXL) solutions. Micron is leading the industry for accelerated ecosystem adoption of CXL 2.0 memory. The company’s CZ120 memory expansion modules are the first in the industry to reach the qualification sample phase (QS), helping to solve the memory bottlenecks that have long constrained data-intensive and next-gen AI and machine learning (ML) workloads.

Unlocking Potential with CXL 2.0

The path to productisation of the CZ120 memory expansion modules had to go through rigorous hardware and software testing to prove rugged reliability, quality and performance for leading CPU suppliers and OEMs as well as OS and hypervisor vendors. In short, it took a village to validate CXL memory’s transformative potential.

A Solution to Modern Data Challenges

Server infrastructures are being strained by data-intensive workloads that are growing exponentially. The Micron CZ120 modules, based on CXL technology, are a key architectural advance that can relieve legacy compute bottlenecks: With memory densities of 128 GB and 256 GB, and server-level capacity of up to 2 TB, the new modules provide more than enough capacity for today and well into the future. Micron CZ120 module Data rate and bandwidth are also dramatically improved, with a factor of eight increase in bandwidth (from 25 GB/s to 38 GB/s) for critical enterprise SaaS workloads.

Transformative Alliance with Leaders in Tech

Micron’s rollout of the CZ120 modules for Micron’s SSD DIMM hasn’t come alone. Partnerships with tech heavyweights such as Red Hat and Supermicro point to a joined effort to refine memory-intensive workloads that become more integrated, efficient, and future-proof within data centres. Red Hat is nearing readiness in certifying plug-and-play operation within the data centre, while Supermicro’s support speaks to validated, tested, and proven solutions that are critical to deploying a data centre successfully.

Looking Ahead: A Future Energized by CZ120

It’s not about filling today’s data needs; it’s about enabling the next revolution in data centre efficiency and performance. This vision is underlined by Micron’s continued work with XConn Technologies to enable CXL Apollo switches like the low-latency one that’s part of the collaboration to work with Micron’s CZ120 memory expansion modules, unlocking greater output for the most intense workloads in the data centre.

Revolutionizing Data Solutions

But as Micron’s CZ120 memory expansion modules being delivered on production volumes onto OEM channels, the changes are now clearly taking shape. Micron is not just working towards clearing the bottleneck, but it is also paving the way for the next generation of memory architectures that will raise data centre standards.

Decoding the Executive Impact

The executive plays a pivotal role in the pantheon of technology history. He (or she) sits atop the layers of an organisation where the possibilities of change are greatest. The executive ignites that change, and leads his organisation toward new and unknown efficiencies. In the case of Micron’s CZ120 memory expansion modules, the executive layer of the org chart envisioned a future of computing that wouldn’t be hamstrung by memory capacity. Nor would they let their legacy bound by neurotic concerns about maintaining symmetry and uniformity in the data centre. There was no technology cap to bind the future of data centre performance and efficiency, so why not use that freedom to create the best possible data centre architecture, with performance and efficiency at the very top of the priority list? The fact that we are even thinking about this in 2019 is testament to how far ahead of the curve the executive leadership has been in casting their gaze toward the future, and making the decisions, forging the alliances, and committing to the ideals of quality and performance that have led to the creation of the future we now see unfolding at the dawn of 2020. It starts at the top.