Why PCIe And CXL Are Essential Interconnects For The AI Era


As the demand for AI and machine learning accelerates, the need for faster and more flexible data interconnects has never been more critical. Traditional data center architectures face several challenges in enabling efficient and scalable infrastructure to meet the needs of emerging AI use cases. The wide variety of AI use cases translate into different types of workloads. Some require high ... » read more

CXL-Based Heterogeneous Systems: How to Optimize and Future Directions (UCSD, Samsung, SK Hynix)


A new technical paper titled "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Programming and Optimizing CXL-Based Heterogeneous Systems" was published by researchers at UC San Diego, Samsung, SK hynix. Abstract "We present a thorough analysis of the use of CXL-based heterogeneous systems. We built a cluster of server systems that combines different vendor's CPUs and various types of CXL devices. We further ... » read more

Chiplets Make Progress Using Interconnects As Glue


Breaking up SoCs into their component parts and putting those and other pieces together in some type of heterogeneous assembly is beginning to take shape, fueled by advances in interconnects, complex partitioning, and industry learnings about what works and what doesn't. While the vision of plug-and-play remains intact, getting there is a lot more complicated than initially imagined. It can ... » read more

Formally Modeling and Verifying CXL Cache Coherence (Imperial College London)


A new technical paper titled "Formalising CXL Cache Coherence" was published by researchers at Imperial College London. Abstract "We report our experience formally modelling and verifying CXL.cache, the inter-device cache coherence protocol of the Compute Express Link standard. We have used the Isabelle proof assistant to create a formal model for CXL.cache based on the prose English spec... » read more

Memory Fundamentals For Engineers


Memory is one of a very few elite electronic components essential to any electronic system. Modern electronics perform extraordinarily complex duties that would be impossible without memory. Your computer obviously contains memory, but so does your car, your smartphone, your doorbell camera, your entertainment system, and any other gadget benefiting from digital electronics. This eBook prov... » read more

CXL Thriving As Memory Link


CXL is emerging from a jumble of interconnect standards as a predictable way to connect memory to various processing elements, as well as to share memory resources within a data center. Compute Express Link is built on a PCI Express foundation and supported by nearly all the major chip companies. It is used to link CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, and other purpose-built accelerators using serial communic... » read more

Intel and Cadence Collaboration on UCIe: Demonstration of Simulation Interoperability


The Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) 1.0 specification was announced in early 2022. A new updated UCIe 1.1 specification was released on August 8, 2023. The standardized open chiplet standard allows for heterogeneous integration of die-to-die link interconnects within the same package. The UCIe standard allows for advanced package and standard package options to tradeoff cost, band... » read more

Survey of CXL Implementations and Standards (Intel, Microsoft)


A new technical paper titled "An Introduction to the Compute Express Link (CXL) Interconnect" was published by researchers at Intel Corporation, Microsoft, and University of Washington. Abstract "The Compute Express Link (CXL) is an open industry-standard interconnect between processors and devices such as accelerators, memory buffers, smart network interfaces, persistent memory, and solid-... » read more

NoCs In 3D Space


A network on chip (NoC) has become an essential piece of technology that enables the complexity of chips to keep growing, but when designs go 3D, or when third-party chiplets become pervasive, it's not clear how NoCs will evolve or what the impact will be on chiplet architectures. A NoC enables data to move between heterogeneous computing elements, while at the same time minimizing the resou... » read more

Interconnects Essential To Heterogeneous Integration


Designing and manufacturing interconnects is becoming more complex, and more critical to device reliability, as the chip industry shifts from monolithic planar dies to collections of chips and chiplets in a package. What was once as simple as laying down a copper trace has evolved into tens of thousands of microbumps, hybrid bonds, through-silicon vias (TSVs), and even junctions for optical ... » read more

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