Kioxia is developing hardware solutions to reduce data center reliance on DRAM, which faces shortages due to high demand from AI workloads. The strategy involves using high-speed NAND flash memory as a supplement to DRAM rather than a complete replacement for existing server configurations.
The company introduced the GP1 series SSDs featuring PCIe 6.0 and NVMe protocols. These drives support direct connections to GPUs, minimizing data transfer overhead across system buses. Additionally, Kioxia unveiled CM10 enterprise SSDs using 10th-generation BiCS FLASH and NX1 series drives with liquid cooling support.
A key component of this strategy is the XL1 memory expansion module, which utilizes CXL technology and low-latency XL FLASH. This setup allows for tighter integration with processors, reducing read latency by more than ten times compared to standard NAND solutions.
By integrating CXL-based modules, Kioxia aims to double system memory capacity and improve performance by 30 percent. The company emphasizes that while these flash-based solutions bridge the gap between DRAM and traditional SSDs, they are designed to complement DRAM in AI-focused infrastructure.
