This little box from Samsung can hold 2TB of a special kind of RAM worth tens of thousands of dollars – CXL Memory Module Box is being hailed as the future of extended server memory in the age of AI

By James On Apr 3, 2024

At MemCon 2024, Samsung showcased its latest HBM3E technology, talked about its future HBM4 plans and unveiled the CXL Memory Module Box, also known as CMM-B, the latest addition to its Compute Express Link (CXL) memory module portfolio.

CMM-B is essentially a memory pooling device for rack computing using CXL. It supports disaggregated memory allocation, which allows the memory capacity available in remote locations to be shared across multiple servers. As a result, CMM-B enables independent allocation of resources in the rack cluster and larger memory pools can be allocated if necessary. With a bandwidth of up to 60 GB/s, CMM-B is ideal for applications such as AI, in-memory databases and data analysis, according to Samsung.

CMM-B accommodates eight E3.S form factor CMM-D (PCIe Gen5) memory modules for a total of 2TB. CMM-D memory integrates Samsung’s DRAM technology with the open standard CXL interface for efficient, low-latency connectivity between the CPU and memory expansion devices.

Easy installation

Samsung says the CMM-B integrates seamlessly into Supermicro Plug and Play Rack Scale Solutions, ensuring not only faster productivity but also lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

The CMM-B module comes pre-installed with Samsung’s Cognos Management Console (SCMC) software, which provides an intuitive interface for quick installation of the Rack-Scale server appliance. This software enables dynamic memory allocation, which allows memory to be allocated independently regardless of the server it is connected to.

During his keynote at MemCon, Jin-Hyeok Choi, Corporate Executive Vice President, Device Solutions Research America – Memory at Samsung Electronics, said: “AI innovation cannot continue without innovation in memory technology. As a leader in memory, Samsung is proud to continue to drive innovation – from the industry’s most advanced CMM-B technology to high-performance memory solutions like HBM3E for high-performance computing and demanding AI applications. We are committed to working with our partners and serving our customers to jointly unlock the full potential of the AI era.”

(Image credit: Samsung)