Thursday, December 3, 2009

Big news from Intel

The data center world is headed for major changes. Yesterday, Intel debuted a fully-functional, 48-core chip, which is expected to be 10 to 20 times more powerful than conventional dual- and quad-core chips. What this means is that today's data centers and server rooms, with 5, 10 or even 15 robust servers, can potentially be scaled back to 2 or 3 servers. This has significant implications for space planning, energy costs, and staffing.

While Intel is initially targeting cloud-based applications for this device, one can easily imagine mid-sized firms taking advantage of this technology. The chip is still in the research phase, and Intel has not announced plans for when it will be commercially available. However, they are expected to put 6-core and 8-core processors on the market early next year and important design elements of 48-core superchip will be integrated into Intel's products during 2010, as well. By early 2011, we will be seeing the 6-core chip finding their way into high-end workstations, which will have implications for capital expenditure strategies during that time.

Read the article at ComputerWorld:
Intel unveils energy-efficient 48-core chip
By Sharon Gaudin

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