Optical Interconnect Opportunities for Future Server Memory Systems

Abstract

This paper deals with alternative server memory architecture options in multicore CPU generations using optically-attached memory systems. Thanks to its large bandwidth-distance product, optical interconnect technology enables CPUs and local memory to be placed meters away from each other without sacrificing bandwidth. This topologically-local but physically-remote main memory attahed via an ultra-high-bandwidth parallel optical interconnect can lead to flexible memory architecture options using low-cost commodity memory technologies.