AGIGARAM® Non-Volatile System
Traditional approaches have made Non-Volatile RAMs (NVRAM) greater than 4 to 8 Megabits impractical due to technology limitations, cost and lack of a suitable power source. As a result, NVRAM has been limited to specialty applications or applications with workarounds for issues from power sources (such as batteries).
In response to the need for a fundamentally better approach to implementing large, high-speed, NVRAM, AgigA Tech has developed the AGIGARAM Non-Volatile System (NVS).
The AGIGARAM product family merges NAND Flash, DRAM and an ultracapacitor power source (PowerGEM®) into a highly reliable non-volatile memory system. The innovative memory subsystem delivers unlimited read/write performance at RAM speeds, while also safely backing up all DRAM data when power is interrupted.
How It Works
- During normal operation, the AGIGARAM system appears as a standard memory module (e.g. DDR3 registered DIMM) to the host system, providing all the benefits and speed of a standard high-speed, high-density SDRAM.
- In the event of a power loss, the AGIGARAM system can be commanded to take control of the SDRAM, transferring its contents to Flash memory using its own energy from a battery-free power source (PowerGEM), thereby preserving all the SDRAM data.
- When power is restored, the AGIGARAM system can be commanded to transfer the contents back into the SDRAM and then returns control to the host system. The battery-free power source is re-charged in seconds, not hours.
AGIGARAM Key Features
- Highly scalable architecture
- Standard SDRAM, DDR2, DDR3 support
- Battery-free power source (PowerGEM)
- Fast save and restore times
- Up to 10 year data retention
- In-system health monitoring and tracking
- AGIGASAFE™ control protocol
- Low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
AGIGARAM Components
Each AGIGARAM system has two key components:
AGIGARAM Memory Module: available in standard and custom form factors, the AGIGARAM Memory Module integrates standard DRAM with NAND Flash and a system controller. The system controller acts as a slave device to the host system (e.g. ROC controller or server chipset) and manages the entire AGIGARAM memory subsystem.
PowerGEM Green Energy Module: PowerGEM is an intelligent power supply utilizing ultracapacitor technology as the power source. Designed for high reliability, the ultracapacitors have been selected from extensive testing (over 2 Terabytes of data has been collected in our dedicated test lab), while the PowerGEM controller conducts in-system health monitoring and tracking.
AGIGASAFE™ Control Protocol
The entire AGIGARAM Non-Volatile System (NVS) implements the AGIGASAFE control protocol, a simple to use host-controlled I2C programming interface developed by AgigA Tech that ensures safe, reliable, secure operation at the system-level. This protocol allows fine control over system "internals" such as managing the NAND Flash while providing precise health monitoring and tracking. The complex system readiness has also been reduced to a single “Good To Go” (or GTG) signal.
Benefits Over Battery-Backed Solutions
Until now, high-speed, non-volatile memory choices have been limited, especially when the performance of a RAM is desired. Complementing the nvSRAM offerings from Cypress, the AGIGARAM system scales and extends nonvolatile solutions to much higher densities. The next best high-density alternative, battery-backed memories, can offer high speeds, but are subject to numerous problems, such as hazardous material issues, increased design complexity, long charge times, limited operating life, and a high total cost of ownership.
