Virtualized and flexible ECC for main memory

We present a general scheme for virtualizing main memory errorcorrection mechanisms, which map redundant information needed to correct errors into the memory namespace itself. We rely on this basic idea, which increases flexibility to increase error protection capabilities, improve power efficiency, and reduce system cost; with only small performance overheads. We augment the virtual memory system architecture to detach the physical mapping of data from the physical mapping of its associated ECC information. We then use this mechanism to develop two-tiered error protection techniques that separate the process of detecting errors from the rare need to also correct errors, and thus save energy. We describe how to provide strong chipkill and double-chip kill protection using existing DRAM and packaging technology. We show how to maintain access granularity and redundancy overheads, even when using ×8 DRAM chips. We also evaluate error correction for systems that do not use ECC DIMMs. ...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2010
• Where: ASPLOS
• Authors: Doe Hyun Yoon, Mattan Erez
• Keywords: ASPLOS 2010, Correct Errors, ECC DIMMs, Error Protection, Programming Languages