In enterprise systems DDR2 with the increased peak bandwidth and overall memory capacity will certainly have its benefits from the performance and again, power consumption points of view. Here I would like to again mention the new FB-DIMMs that will hit the enterprise market in H1 2005.

FB-DIMM provides advanced data transfer rate of up to 4.8Gbps. In the new fully-buffered DIMMs all signals going to and from the DRAM chips are buffered in the High-Speed Advanced Memory Buffer chip located in the center of the module. This helps to secure the DRAM timing margins during high-speed functioning with a much shorter signal path between DRAM chips and the AMB. FB-DIMM also adopts bi-directional point-to-point connection on the PCI Express bus between the memory controller and the DIMM as well as between the DIMMs themselves. It not only provides increased bus speed with shorter connection path but also raises the maximum number of modules that can be connected to the same bus (tight now it is up to 8). Quite a few memory developers present on the show floor during the forum were showing working FB-DIMM products today. Here are a few pictures for you:

FB-DIMM from Kingston

FB-DIMMs from Elpida (No heatsink on the chip).

Intel working board for the new FB-DIMM memory modules.

Well, that?s the most interesting things I assume I saw and heard about today. In fact, this is not all. I suggest that you also check my Blog to read about the 64Bit Jam event and the News wire to get more details about the today?s IDF announcements.

Stay tuned for more IDF talk tomorrow!