A
new blog -Memory
for Compute - Where do we go From Here? - by Rob Peglar, President at
Advanced Computation and Storage
- among other things - comments on the shortcomings of legacy X86 processor
designs when viewed from the stance of cores to memory channels (and - this is
my scene setting not the words that Rob used - it's 2018 not 1999 for goodness
sake! - we're paradiving into the memoryfication of everything era - we're
falling through the air without a jetpack - so we don't have too much time
for what-is-life -
retrospection before we hit that water and start tasting real juicy vendor
shark meat - spiced up to make it more palatable with big sprinklings of
sponsored soothsayer
seasoning. Or we may be the shark meat - or we may even put the shark
to good use to pull
our boat along - depending on your perspective).
"The ratio of processor
cores to memory channels and local memory capacity is a solid pivot from
which to leverage your forthcoming architecture blogs. I love ratios as they
have always provided a simple way to communicate with readers the design choices
in products which tell a lot to other experts in that field. So in the past Ive
written about ratios like
RAM cache to flash
in SSDs, ratio of chips to controllers (small versus big
controller architecture),
fast server based
PCIe SSD capacity ratio to SAN array capacity - which said a lot about the
legacy software base (in 2012 when I wrote that note). I look forward to seeing
your next couple of blogs and will tell my readers about them."
well
readers - this is me making good on that promise
I was on my
phone when I did the linkedin comment so I didn't extend the list to things
like:- ratio of petabytes/kilowatts in network storage capacity - which led us
to the petabyte SSD
market, or the ratio of chips to storage capacity - aka
design efficiency -
(including raw flash to usable capacity - whatever that is - real or virtual -
RAM is whatever the software is
happy is BTW and in another universe could be implemented by self reparing
fast paper tape). I could have made these lists longer... But I'm trying
to break
the habit.
The important thing is that you - as a regular mortal
without having wasted all your life immersed in arcane technology - nevertheless
do have a sporting chance of being able to rationally recognize the goodness or
otherwise of complex emerging products -which very few people on the planet
understand - for your own purposes and based on
your own
risk assessments - using the comparative power of ratios. And you don't need
editors or analysts or vendors to tell you that the chosen outputs from their
calculators (or sponsored opinions) is more right for you.
In my own
career - even when I have done deep analysis and all that stuff - I have
sometimes chosen the right direction by doing the sums wrong. But I've always
been lucky.
Anyway - I think you should stay tuned to Rob Peglar's
blogs - because I have a gut feel - the plot is going to get very interesting.
...read
the article
Editor's additional comments:- And here's another
thing... if you like the idea of using ratios to understand SSD design thinking
then take a look too at some similar ideas I've written about which cut across
the analysis of existing and future architectures in other ways.
the SSD design
heresies - is a sanity check to remind you that designers don't always agree
on the permutations of design features and technology adoption roadmaps favored
by their competitors
The predictability and
calm, careful approach to new technology adoption in industrial SSDs was for a
long time regarded as a virtue compared to other brash markets.
If you spend a lot of your
time analyzing the performance characteristics and limitations of flash SSDs -
this article will help you to easily predict the characteristics of any new SSDs
you encounter - by leveraging the knowledge you already have.
The memory chip count
ceiling around which the SSD controller IP is optimized - predetermines the
efficiency of achieving system-wide goals like cost, performance and
reliability.
A popular fad in selling
flash SSDs is life assurance and health care claims as in - my flash SSD
controller care scheme is 100x better (than all the rest).
