X-Sender: bas_info@pop.euronet.nl X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 2.2 (32) Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 12:01:25 -0800 To: ganswijk@xs4all.nl From: Basics Distribution Subject: Toekomst Memory Produkten Computers have been increasing dramatically in speed and performance for >years and will break some significant barriers over the next five as new >technologies promise to feed the exponential growth. A system's memory >will remain a vital component to ensuring high performance and >rock-solid reliability, and the memory industry will experience >significant changes to keep pace with evolving technology. > >Several DRAM technologies are emerging to answer the need for faster, >high density memory including EDO, SDRAM, SDRAM II (DDR), Direct >Rambus(tm), and SLDRAM(tm). Each technology has its advantages and >disadvantages but no matter which technology grabs the market, >large-scale changes will occur in the memory industry. > >The Need >Giants leaps in performance now seem common in the PC industry. >Processors are now shipping at 350Mhz and we will probably see a 1000Mhz >chip before the end of the millennium. Bus speeds, which have been >hovering around 60Mhz, will break 100Mhz next year and probably reach >past 300Mhz within the next 3-5 years. Other technologies such as >Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP(tm)), MMX(tm), and Symmetric >Multiprocessing will further increase the demand on surrounding >components inside the system. > >The advances in computer design are being driven by consumer demand and >software applications that require the highest level of speed. >Multimedia titles, the Internet, 3D software, CD quality sound, full >motion video, and increasingly complex business applications are pushing >computers beyond the limit of current technology. > >A computer's processor, bus, and memory work in tandem to achieve the >highest level of performance. The advances in processor and bus speeds >must be matched by advances in memory speed otherwise the system will >perform only as fast as its slowest component. The current DRAM >architectures will soon be inadequate and newer architectures will >compete with each other to become the industry standard. > >The Technologies >Several technologies currently exist in the memory industry. EDO and >Synchronous DRAM have captured the majority of the market with SDRAM >gaining ground. > > EDO > Extended Data Output DRAM has a shorter read cycle. This allows >EDO DRAM to perform 10- 20% faster than Fast-Page Mode modules. > > SDRAM > Synchronous DRAM uses an internal clock that synchronizes the >memory and the main processor. Data transmission rates are increased >with fewer "stalls" because the timings of the CPU and memory are >coordinated. SDRAM can perform 25-40% better than EDO DRAM. > >The successor to SDRAM has not been chosen. SDRAM II, Direct RDRAM(tm), >and SLDRAM are emerging as three possible technologies to carry the >memory industry into the next millennium. The designs are still being >finalized but in the mean time none of three technologies have reached >sample production. > > SDRAM II > Synchronous DRAM II, also called Double-Data Rate DRAM, is an >evolution of SDRAM. It operates at twice the clock speed of the memory >bus allowing it to complete two instructions per cycle rather than one. >SDRAM II is backward compatible with SDRAM and is seen as interim >solution before D-RDRAM or SLDRAM. >Direct RDRAM > Direct Rambus is designed and developed by Rambus. Rambus does >not manufacture Direct RDRAM but will instead license its technology to >semiconductor companies. The basic Rambus design has done exceptionally >well in the graphics market and is the primary memory used in the >Nintendo 64 game console. Intel and Rambus are working together to >extend and improve the Rambus technology for use in computer systems >and have named the new design Direct Rambus. The Rambus design is unique >with all pins on one side of the package and the devices are inserted >vertically. Intel's support of D-RDRAM is critical to its success and >adoption. > >SLDRAM > SyncLink DRAM, in contrast to D-RDRAM, is an open standard with >many of the largest semiconductor companies participating and is >considered the main competitor to Direct Rambus. SLDRAM has >similarities with D-RDRAM and SDRAM. It will be using SSTL (stub series >terminated logic) which is also used by D-RDRAM and it extends on SDRAM >technology by expanding the four-bank design to 16 banks. > > > SDRAMII D-RDRAM SLDRAMSDRAM II D-RDRAM SLDRAM >Design Open Proprietary License Open >Samples Q4 1997 1998 1998 >Production 1998 1999 1999 >DRAM Company Support >SDRAMII: Samsung EC, Ltd. NEC Corp., Oki Semiconductor, Mitsubishi >,Texas Instruments, IBM Micro. Hyundai Elec., Vanguard Int. Semi., >Fujitsu, Toshiba Corp., Hitachi Ltd. > >D-RDRAM: NEC Corp., Toshiba Corp., Samsung EC, Ltd. Hyundai Elec., >Hitachi Ltd., LG Semicon Co., Oki Elec. Co., Mitsubishi, Micron Tech. >Inc., Mosys > >SLDRAM: Hyundai Elec., NEC Corp., Fujitsu IBM Micro., Micron Tech. Inc., >Mitsubishi, Texas Instruments, Samsung EC, Ltd., Toshiba Corp., Siemens, >Motorola, Hitachi Ltd., LG Electronics, Matsushita, Mosel Vitelic, >Nippon Steel, Oki Semiconductor, Vanguard Int. Semi., > > >Further out on the horizon, many semiconductor manufacturers and >companies are making great strides in their research and development >labs. Several companies have announced 1 Gigabit DRAM and NEC has >released information on a 4 Gigabit DRAM. New chemical compounds have >been developed and new logic is being created, including self-testing >and correcting logic for advanced failure recovery. > > >The Impact and why a relationship with Viking will become even more >important. >The new memory architectures will be several times faster than old >designs but will also be several times more complex. Even the slightest >deviation from the specifications could cause severe performance >problems or system incompatibilities. The margin for error will be >drastically reduced and the specifications themselves will be much more >difficult to meet. > >The impact of these transitions and new technology will be to elevate >the role of system memory from a last-minute plug in to a critical >system component and total system design point. Your success in the >coming years depends heavily on careful selection and cooperation with >your memory solution supplier. > >Viking Components is investing in state-of-the-art manufacturing and >testing equipment to meet the demanding needs of the upcoming >technologies. Viking is ISO 9001 and ISO 9002 certified and is >continuously improving quality through several company-wide initiatives >and the purchase of new state-of-the-art testing equipment. We have >expanded into Europe and the Pacific Rim to leverage our quality and >service across the globe. > >The industry will most likely have three different and incompatible DRAM >architectures available to system manufacturers over the next several >years. New technologies also present new obstacles, incompatibilities, >and unforeseen issues. For instance, the variations in semiconductor >manufacturing could mean only a certain brand of chips will work in a >certain machine. Viking has positioned itself to solve these problems >before the products reach the market. > >Viking Components is working closely with leading semiconductor >manufacturers and will be among the first memory manufacturers to >receive samples and specifications for the new architectures. Coupled >with our extensive testing and quality checks, this will ease the >migration to the new technologies. Viking is also known for providing >advanced configuration tools, training, and support that will shield our >customers from and simplify the fragmenting industry. > >Viking is also working closely with system manufacturers to ensure >compatibility and a quick turn around on design. When the new >technology begins to ship in systems, Viking will already be shipping >100% compatible modules that are guaranteed for life. Basics Distribution SPEED - P O W ER - PERFORMANCE Sales tel. +31 317 425 447 Sales fax +31 317 425 639