CAREER: Scalable and Universal Architecture for Next-Generation Memory Systems

University Of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

This CAREER project will investigate future memory systems that are scalable with processor technologies and application demands. It identifies memory architecture as a key issue in developing next-generation memory systems that are scalable in terms of performance, power-efficiency and cost, and support heterogeneous memory devices. A Scalable and Universal Memory Architecture (SUMA) is proposed to replace the overly restrictive and homogeneous memory architecture in current computer systems. The project will further investigate a set of innovative techniques to improve memory scalability, including adaptive memory organization, heterogeneous memory management, proactive memory power and thermal management, and flexible memory error protection schemes. With a scalable and universal architecture, computer memory may scale cost-effectively and power-efficiently from gigabytes now to hundreds of terabytes in the future. Many memory-bounded computing problems will be solved at a much larger scale, and many previously intractable problems will become solvable. The proposed education component will expose undergraduate students to the complex performance, power, and thermal issues in the multi-core era, with a focus on memory systems.