Marvell Technology has introduced the second generation of its Structera X CXL memory expanders, specifically the 3406 and 3506 models. These devices are designed to address memory constraints in AI inference tasks, particularly for managing KV-cache demands in large language models.
The new controllers feature six memory channels, representing a 50% increase over the previous four-channel generation. They support up to 9 TB of DDR4 memory or 6 TB of DDR5 per controller, utilizing PCIe 6.0 x16 links with a maximum bandwidth of 256 GB/s.
The hardware enables four-host connectivity, allowing multiple systems to access a shared memory pool. Additionally, the integration of inline LZ4 compression is intended to increase usable memory capacity by 2 to 3 times, depending on data compressibility.
Marvell plans to showcase the technology at the OCP Global Summit, taking place from October 12 to October 15, 2026. The company expects to begin sampling the new Structera X devices by the first quarter of 2027.
