A redundant array of independent memory (RAIM) is a design feature found in certain
computers' main
random access memory
Random-access memory (RAM; ) is a form of computer memory that can be read and changed in any order, typically used to store working data and machine code. A random-access memory device allows data items to be read or written in almost the s ...
.
RAIM utilizes additional memory modules and
striping algorithms
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specifications for performing ...
to protect against the failure of any particular module and keep the memory system operating continuously. RAIM is similar in concept to a
redundant array of independent disks
Raid, RAID or Raids may refer to:
Attack
* Raid (military), a sudden attack behind the enemy's lines without the intention of holding ground
* Corporate raid, a type of hostile takeover in business
* Panty raid, a prankish raid by male colleg ...
(RAID), which protects against the failure of a
disk drive, but in the case of memory it supports several DRAM device
chipkills and entire memory channel failures. RAIM is much more robust than
parity checking and
ECC memory
Error correction code memory (ECC memory) is a type of computer data storage that uses an error correction code (ECC) to detect and correct n-bit data corruption which occurs in memory. ECC memory is used in most computers where data corruption c ...
technologies which cannot protect against many varieties of memory failures.
On July 22, 2010,
IBM introduced the first high end computer server featuring RAIM, the
zEnterprise 196. Each z196 machine contains up to 3 TB (usable) of RAIM-protected main memory. In 2011 the business class model z114 was introduced also supporting RAIM. The formal announcement letter offered some additional information regarding the implementation:
See also
*
IBM mainframe
IBM mainframes are large computer systems produced by IBM since 1952. During the 1960s and 1970s, IBM dominated the large computer market. Current mainframe computers in IBM's line of business computers are developments of the basic design of t ...
References
{{Reflist, 2
Computer memory
Error detection and correction
Fault-tolerant computer systems