[NEWS] - Promise to use FRAM in its RAID controller

[CougTek]

FRAM invasion has begun.

Promise Technology had chosen Ramtron's 3V, 256Kb, FM18L08 for its fast write capability, small footprint and cost effectiveness. In the application, FRAM stores RAID transaction logs and other non-volatile data, writing virtually non-stop and preserving its data state even if the power goes out.

The FM18L08 is the world’s first commercial non-volatile memory to feature virtually unlimited endurance eliminating the reliability concerns, functional disadvantages and system design complexities of battery-backed SRAM. With its unlimited access cycles, FRAM provides any combination of volatile and non-volatile storage, replacing both SRAM and EEPROM in the end system without the typical disadvantages.

I think it's great. We've been talking about FRAM for years and now, finally, we see it appear in a commercial product for PC.

Read the entire news at X-bit Laboratories

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Thanks for the link, Coug!

FRAM will make a revolution... I wonder when (if) it will be implemented for PC main memory.

 

[CougTek]

From you :eekers:

Uwwwaaggghh uke-r:

Hey! Keep your hands on you, you deviate.

I wonder when (if) it will be implemented for PC main memory.

Probably not. M-RAM would fit better there. See Gary's post in this thread. M-RAM probably is less expensive to manufacture for larger capacities than F-RAM.

 

[Howell]

Either I don't recognize the acronym or I've never heard of FRAM.

 

[CougTek]

What the hell is FRAM?

 

[Prof.Wizard]

From you :eekers:

Uwwwaaggghh uke-r:

Hey! Keep your hands on you, you deviate.

I don't understand. I thought you liked me too... :tounge:

Probably not. M-RAM would fit better there.
See Gary's post in this thread. M-RAM probably is less expensive to manufacture for larger capacities than F-RAM.

Yeah, M-RAM seems cool if it's according to Gary's speculations. I'll google for more.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

What the hell is FRAM?

I don't know if you noticed... Xbit Labs say something good in the end of the news entry...
"The concern here is, whether Ramtron becomes another Rambus eventually..." :roll:

 

[honold]

sounds very cool. this seems like a perfect storage application for www.soekris.com -style routers. as it stands, if you're running an os like openbsd on flash you have to mount read-only, log to a remote syslog or a ramdisk, etc, just to avoid write cycles.

 

[Platform]

I don't know if you noticed... Xbit Labs say something good in the end of the news entry... "The concern here is, whether Ramtron becomes another Rambus eventually..." :roll:

Not trying to put anyone down, but it sounds like this X-Bit Labs (?) are simply novices if they think FRAM is going to be another RAMBUSt, as they may not even be aware of IBM's M-RAM initiative.

IBM / Infineon together are vastly larger and have vastly more market sway than Ramtron. I suspect, however, that Ramtron is not stupid enough to challenge "the world" (i.e. -- after IBM & Infineon start licensing M-RAM to the rest of the RAM manufacturers). Instead, I would suspect that Ramtron could be aiming for a nice juicy foothold in the specialty world of the firmware and small non-volatile utilities marketplace where EEPROM and battery-backed RAM is used -- which is a significant market.

 

[Platform]

Yeah, M-RAM seems cool if it's according to Gary's speculations. I'll google for more.

Well, I finally became un-lazy for about 10 nanoseconds and looked over at IBM's site to see if there was anything at all recent about M-RAM developments.

At last, there was!


some snippets of the original text...

• Kyoto, Japan (VLSI Symposia) -- June 10, 2003 -- IBM and Infineon Technologies AG (FSE/NYSE: IFX) today announced they have developed the most advanced Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) technology to date by integrating magnetic memory components into a high-performance logic base....
  
  Today's announcement could accelerate the commercialization of MRAM, a breakthrough memory technology with the potential to begin replacing some of today's memory technologies as early as 2005. MRAM could lead to ‘instant on' computers, allowing users to turn computers on and off as quickly as a light switch....
  
  MRAM combines the best features of today's common memory technologies: the storage capacity and low-cost of Dynamic RAM (DRAM), the high speed of Static RAM (SRAM), and the non-volatility of flash memory. Since MRAM retains information when power is turned off, products like personal computers using it could start up instantly, without waiting for software to "boot up"...
  
  "MRAM has the potential to become the universal memory technology of the future," said Dr. T. C. Chen, VP Science and Technology, IBM Research. "This breakthrough demonstrates that MRAM technology is rapidly maturing and could fundamentally alter the entire memory marketplace within the next few years"...

The full un-snipped text over at:

http://researchweb.watson.ibm.com/resources/news/20030610_mram.shtml

 

[CityK]

IBM / Infineon together are vastly larger and have vastly more market sway than Ramtron. I suspect, however, that Ramtron is not stupid enough to challenge "the world" (i.e. -- after IBM & Infineon start licensing M-RAM to the rest of the RAM manufacturers).

Infineon is a 20% stakeholder of Ramtron, as well as a creditor.

 

[.Nut]

Sounds like a ménage à trois, with Infineon in the middle. 8)

 

[CityK]

Sounds like a ménage à trois, with Infineon in the middle

lol

Infineon is quite the dirty bird.