Meta Reuses Old RAM in 40% of Servers With Vistara CXL Chip
Updated
Updated · Computerworld · Jul 3
Meta Reuses Old RAM in 40% of Servers With Vistara CXL Chip
3 articles · Updated · Computerworld · Jul 3
Summary
Meta said about 40% of its millions of servers are constrained by memory, prompting it to deploy a custom CXL chip called Vistara to reuse older RAM in newer machines.
RAM lasts roughly twice as long as the rest of a server, leaving Meta with surplus DIMMs from decommissioned systems just as new memory prices surge.
Vistara and its software decouple those older DIMMs from server memory channels, letting them run alongside native memory without the performance hit expected from plugging them directly into newer servers.
The approach comes as the industry warns memory prices could double by the end of 2026 and shortages may persist into 2027, raising pressure on hyperscalers to cut hardware costs.