IRAM, Intelligent RAM
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Intelligent DRAM, or IDRAM, merges processor and memory into a single chip in order to lower memory latency and increase bandwidth. It is a research model for the next generation of DRAM and has been tested in alpha 21164 processors. The reasoning behind placing a processor in DRAM rather than increasing the on-processor SRAM is that the DRAM is approximately 25 to 50 times denser than cache memory in a microprocessor. Merging a microprocessor and DRAM on the same chip provides some rather obvious opportunities in performance, energy efficiency, and cost. It affords a reduction in latency by a factor of 5 to 10, an increase in bandwidth by a factor of 50 to 100, and has an advantage in energy efficiency at a factor of 2 to 4. Add to this and an qualified cost saving as the result of removing superfluous memory and reducing board area. Although the above figures are estimations based on early testing and present technology, it would appear that IRAM holds allot of promise.

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Last Update: 11:14 AM 11/18/02