Disaggregated Memory for High Performance Computing; Architectures and Opportunities for CXL

HPE pioneered the concept of "memory-driven computing," spurred by its invention of memristor ReRAM, practical mid-board optics technology, and the GenZ interconnect. This presentation looks at some of that research and the direction it has taken since the consolidation of OpenCAPI, CCIX, and GenZ into the CXL specification and the failure of storage-class memory to gain a sustainable commercial foothold. We will examine current HPC architectures, including current HPE Cray EX systems such as the Frontier system at Oakridge National Laboratory and the Aurora system at Argonne National Laboratory--presently the #1 and #2 systems on the Top500 list--and look at future opportunities for emerging technologies, such as CXL memories and computational storage, in next-generation HPC architectures.