Micron Digs For Faster DDR2, DDR3 Aspen Memory

Micron has started shipping units of its energy-efficient Aspen series of DDR2 and DDR3 memory modules. According to the company, memory draws up to 15 percent of the total energy absorbed by modern servers, and the figures are expected to increase as more and more memory is required for server normal operation.

The new memory offerings from Micron are the 1 Gigabit DDR3 modules certified to work at 1.35V and the 2 Gigabit DDR2 modules operating at 1.5V. The company's achievements are even below the limits set by the JEDEC Council, that sets the memory energy requirements at 1.5 volts for DDR3 and 1.8 volts for the DDR2 modules.

"The trend in energy-efficient technology is especially important for data centers because they are always running - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Until recently, IT and data center managers primarily looked at ways to reduce power consumption with energy efficient processors and power supplies, but they hadn't looked at the additional savings they can achieve with low-voltage memory," said Brian Shirley, vice president of Micron's Memory Group.

According to the company, Micron will ship its energy-efficient memory products in densities up to 4 GBs using 1 Gb chips, that are alleged to use 21 percent less power as compared to the standard 1.5-volt DDR3 modules manufactured with 1 Gb memory chips.

Moreover, the DDR2 market segment will be covered by Micron's 2 Gb-based 8 GB 1.5-volt DDR2 memory modules that are proven to decrease the power requirements up to 58 percent, as compared to the standard 1.8 volt DDR2 offerings.

"Given the positive customer reaction we received from the Aspen Memory modules we introduced last year, we look forward to continuing our leadership in energy-efficient memory by providing our customers with the industry's first low-voltage DDR3 as well as the highest-density, lowest-voltage DDR2 modules," Shirley continued.

Micron is currently shipping sampling units of its low-voltage DDR3 and DDR2 server memory modules, but the low-energy offerings will enter mass-production later in the fourth quarter of the year.