Solidigm’s AI Field Day presentation highlighted the critical role of large-scale, high-efficiency storage solutions like NAND flash memory in meeting the evolving demands of AI, as covered by tech analyst Ben Young. The company, born from the union of Intel’s NAND SSD business and SK Hynix, demonstrates expertise in delivering high-density QLC SSDs, such as the D5-P5336 model, which significantly outperforms traditional HDDs in capacity and speed while reducing energy consumption. Solidigm’s storage innovations, offering up to 61.44TB per slim drive, not only future-proof AI infrastructure but also promise to drive advancements across various industries by improving training times and real-time decision-making capabilities.
Intel Xeon CPUs – How Efficiency Makes It a Top Contender for AI Inference
In the AI arms race, Intel’s latest 5th generation Xeon processors have emerged as a powerful and efficient alternative to GPUs for certain AI workloads, according to Ben Young’s AI Field Day article. With a 36% performance boost in specialized AI tasks enabled by Advanced Matrix Extensions (AMX), these CPUs accelerate deep learning particularly for AI inference, offering a cost-effective option for applications with lighter and less frequent processing needs. Intel’s dedication is clear as they bolster their CPUs’ AI capabilities and facilitate developers with tools like the OpenVINO toolkit, positioning Xeon CPUs as a feasible choice for an array of AI workloads, balancing the scale with GPUs based on the specific requirements of the task. Read more in this Gestalt IT article by Ben Young, sponsored by Intel.
Don’t Let Storage Be Your AI Training Kryptonite
In the rapidly advancing field of AI, efficiently managing checkpoints during model training is crucial, and Solidigm’s QLC drives offer a solution that mitigates the risk of slow storage becoming a bottleneck. Their high-performance drives support the significant read/write operations required for frequent checkpointing, enabling data scientists to maintain efficient workflows and reduce training costs. Solidigm’s dense storage enclosures optimize data centre space while providing the necessary infrastructure for high-capacity AI datasets, proving that fast storage is the unsung hero in the race towards AI innovation. Read more in this article by Ben Young, reacting to AI Field Day.
Improving the Accuracy of Domain-Specific Information of Large Language Models With Ben Young
Ben Young’s Ignite Talk at Edge Field Day delved into the challenges of large language models (LLMs) and introduced a potential solution through retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). Using RAG, Young crafted a chatbot that leverages the Veeam knowledge base to accurately deliver domain-specific information without the need for retraining. His work demonstrated how this AI framework can fine-tune LLM responses, ensuring accuracy and up-to-dateness by incorporating external context and authoritative data sources. Give the article a read at Gestalt IT and watch the Ignite Talk here on the Tech Field Day website.
Solidigm QLC SSD’s Proven Reliability, Performance and Density Perfect for Challenging Edge Computing Environments
Ben Young explores Solidigm’s QLC SSDs, praising their performance, reliability, and density as ideal for challenging edge computing environments. Amid an AI and IoT revolution that has data generation ballooning, he notes Solidigm’s industry-leading range of devices and impressive performance stats as a potent solution. Young emphasizes the particular value these drives offer in edge environments with heavy storage requirements, but also advocates their applicability for any data-intensive application, whether at the edge or in the data center.
Mako Networks – a World-Class PCI-Certified Network-As-A-Service Ecosystem
Mako Networks presented its own hardware and software as a service for retail edge at the recent Edge Field Day event, and this sponsored article by Ben Young dives deep into this concept. The company has made strides in the distributed retail enterprise business in North America and Europe, thanks to its all-in-one ecosystem. Mako technology is PCI-certified, making it a no-brainer choice for organizations that require ready compliance at the network layer, centralized management, and bulk configuration functionality.
Time to Recalibrate Your Views on Edge Computing
After attending Edge Field Day 1, Ben Young shares his reflections on edge computing and how his views may have changed after speaking with a range of vendors at the event. While his views going into the event were largely confirmed, he also gained new insights, including the concept that edges can be smaller than previously thought, with companies such as Scale Computing providing hyperconverged infrastructure on an Intel NUC. Furthermore, centralised orchestration is critical for scaling, efficiency, and agility, as is enhanced security and compliance in a challenging, often unstable edge environment.
Unraveling the Key Themes of Edge Computing – a Roundtable Discussion
In this article Sulagna Saha summarizes the thoughts and impressions of delegates on the key themes that dominated the presentations at the recent Edge Field Day event. Check out her article at Gestalt IT, or watch the roundtable discussion here at TechFieldDay.com.
Deploying Applications Across Edge Locations With Mako Networks and Avassa
In this Roundtable discussion with Mako Networks and Avassa, we hear from co-founders from both companies about deploying applications at scale at the edge. Watch how the conversation unfolded between Stephen Foskett, Simon Gamble, Carl Moberg, Ben Young, and Alastair Cooke on Gestalt IT’s Youtube channel.
What Is Edge Computing, Thoughts Before the First Edge Field Day
Ben Young is looking forward to being a delegate at the first Edge Field Day this week! He gives a great definition of edge computing, how IaC plays a role, and which industries can benefit from this technology in this article. Read his thoughts on his website.
Ben Young
Specializes in the automation and integration of a broad range of cloud & virtualization technologies.
