This project is focusing on improvements in the memory and I/O architecture of PC Servers. Memory Expansion Technology is an example of a now major project that had its roots in this project area. Focus areas for this project are now cluster architectures for PC Servers, large multiprocessor and NUMA multiprocessor architecture, and large partitionable systems, combining aspects of clustering and large multiprocessor design. Much of the current work also attempts to leverage Linux to exploit advanced hardware architecture features. The Linux effort is highlighted at http://oss.software.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/mst.

1. System Design and Performance: Intel Clusters

The goal of this project is to continue to develop and exploit the rack-mounted clusters. The current focus is on the design of rack optimized dense servers with unique cost, performance and manageability advantages over our competition. MXT technology is being leveraged in the design of dense 1U server packages optimized for this market but with a 40 percent to 70 percent cost performance advantage. We are also leveraging this advantage through Linux-based web appliances and near appliance configurations.

2. Scalable Server Architecture

Work in this area consists of three projects. The goal of the first project is to explore High Throughput coherence controllers and efficient hardware support for user level message passing in scalable commercial servers. The results of this research have been used in defining the next generation NUMAQ servers, and is being done jointly with our product lab. The architectural concepts developed under this project have also been used to define the Canopus multiprocessor server design in Poughkeepsie. The second project involves the exploration of high speed interconnection networks for scalable shared memory servers. Research in this area has resulted in the design of the Federation switch that is targeted for use in server offerings from NUMAQ and from the IBM Personal Systems division. The third project in this area was responsible for developing the MemorIES on-line cache emulation tools for evaluating cache memory systems under realistic application environments. This tool is now being extended to connect to a NUMAQ system.

3. Advanced Memory Systems

The goal of this project is to exploit in-memory databases using hard (fault-tolerant and non-volatile) main memories, and to develop the supporting hardware/software architectures. Raw processor performance is increasing at 60 percent per year while memory and disk subsystems latencies are improving at barely 7 percent per year. This means that memory and disk subsystem performance is increasingly becoming the throughput bottlenecks for large systems. Our goal is to improve overall commercial system performance by (1) replacing part of the disk system with fast, hard memory and by (2) architecting memory subsystems for optimum performance in servers using large amounts of memory. In these environments, direct sharing of memory resources across multiple OS images is desirable. It is also critical that the caching hierarchy support the appearance of low latency high bandwidth memory.

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