Isra-Mart srl:"Revolutionary" computer memory could green data centres

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Scientists in the US have hailed a new "unified" computer memory as a "revolutionary" device to boost the energy efficiency of large-scale server farms and personal computers.

Researchers from North Carolina State University revealed a new memory device that merges slow and fast memory systems in February's edition of Computer magazine.

Although the device is still in testing phase, the team claims it could allow server farm operators such as Google to switch off their machines without jeopardising the main memory. It could also allow personal computers to start up immediately without needing to access the hard drive, they added.

Traditionally, there are two types of computer memory devices. Slow memory, known as "non-volatile" allows users to save information for long periods of time, for example in Flash drives.

Fast memory devices, known as "volatile", allow computers to operate quickly, but cannot save data when the machine is turned off because they need a constant source of power to operate.

Dr Paul Franzon, who co-authored the report, predicted the new device could "revolutionise" computer memory by performing both volatile and non-volatile operations in a single system.

He said the device, dubbed "double floating-gate field effect transistor" (FET), could cut the power consumption of web server farms, by allowing operators to switch off machines during low levels of activity.

"The double floating-gate FET would help solve this problem because data could be stored quickly in nonvolatile memory – and retrieved just as quickly," he said. "This would allow portions of the server memory to be turned off during periods of low use without affecting performance."

He added that the double floating-gate FET could allow a computer to start immediately because it would not need to retrieve start-up data from the hard drive because data could be stored in the main memory.

Server operators are under increasing pressure to reduce energy consumption as they continue to use vast amounts of energy even when their processors are idle.

Other companies trying to tackle the problem include 1E, which has developed a Nightwatchman server power management system, allowing firms to automatically shift applications from one server to the other, freeing up unused servers that can then be turned off.