“Oof. Can’t even!”
As a Gen-X parent of two lovely Gen-Z children, I have become what I swore I wouldn’t: Dated.
My kids constantly use new terms that I struggle to understand. My hipper-than-me wife blends right in, where as I . . . you get the idea. Goals.
I bring this up because Google thinks “Gen-Z” only refers to the latest demographic group. However, what I, as a geek, am really interested in is the “Gen-Z Consortium”.
What is the Gen-Z Consortium?
Is the Gen-Z Consortium a collection of high-school and college students? (This is Mr. Gen-X talking!) Of course not.
Gen-Z, the technology, is an open-systems interconnect offering memory-semantic access to data and devices via multiple network topologies. It enhances existing and enables new solution architectures. Also, Gen-Z provides high-speed, low-latency access to memory across the data center.
The Gen-Z Consortium is made up of leading computer industry companies dedicated to creating and commercializing a new data access technology. Gen-Z technologies can be transparently inserted into any solution with no operating system or middleware software changes required.
Samtec Joins the “Consortium”
Computing architectures are evolving faster than ever before. From memory-semantic architectures, open systems interconnects and acceleration, the demand to get ones and zeros from point A to point B (or multiple locations!) just won’t stop.
Samtec joined the Gen-Z Consortium to leverage our SI and silicon-to-silicon knowledge in new and exciting Gen-Z applications. For more information, check out the Gen-Z blog outlined here. Additionally, the following video outlines Samtec’s Gen-Z development projects.
Gen-Z Media Box Includes Samtec Flyover® Technology
The whole concept of Gen-Z is to simplify and enhance the access to every device in a system. This requires a Gen-Z switch to direct traffic between MCUs, GPUs, SSDs, DRAM, and other system elements.
The Gen-Z Media Box demo uses an FPGA-based High-Speed Communications Hub as the Gen-Z Switch. The FPGA uses Gen-Z IP to build the fabric between the various devices in the media box and the system.
The Gen-Z switch connects throughout the media box using Samtec Flyover® technology. Samtec Flyover cable assemblies easily route high-density, high-speed Gen-Z fabric throughout the media box.
Gen-Z PECFF Scalable Test Platform
This scalable and configurable test fixture platform is one example of Samtec’s innovative Gen-Z solutions. Leveraging the Gen-Z PECFF, this platform supports 32 GT/s performance over a cable mesh backplane and SFF-TA-1002-compliant edge card connectors.
Signals can travel from a signal source to the Samtec test platform via precision RF cable assemblies. One lane routes 32 GT/s data via 0.635 mm pitch AcceleRate® Slim Cable Assemblies. A second lane routes 32 GT/s data via Samtec 0.60 mm pitch Edge Rate® High-Speed Edge Card Connectors in a backplane architecture.
The Key to HPC Democratization
The legacy of HPC resides within academia, industry and governmental entities. The modern computing revolution based on Moore’s law has made HPC more accessible. Also, processing power has increased exponentially while processing cost has fallen just as fast.
Today, HPC hardware solutions are available from many Gen-Z Consortium member companies. Department clusters, supercomputers or cloud-connectivity now offer scalable HPC options for individuals, small teams, and larger companies.
In today’s competitive world, companies of all sizes must innovate to stay ahead. HPC enables virtual product design, testing, and validation before the first prototype is ever developed. This shortens design cycles and saves companies money.
Gen-Z technology will only help to democratize HPC now and in the future. Even this Gen-Xer sees the benefits of that!
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