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AMD revamps server roadmap

Not only is AMD purporting that its 45-nm "Shanghai" server chip on track for production in the second half, the company is working on 6- and 12-core processors for 2010.

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- EDN, 5/8/2008

Following feedback from OEMs, microprocessor maker Advanced Micro Devices Inc [AMD] detailed Wednesday updates to its server roadmap to “strengthen its alignment with end-customer priorities,” by addressing platform longevity, performance-per-watt and virtualization features according to Randy Allen, AMD corporate VP and general manager for servers and workstations.

During a briefing with press, Allen stressed that the 45-nm “Shanghai” server chip is on track to begin production in the second half of this year and will include coherent HyperTransport 3.0 for processor-to-processor communication, an increased shared Level-3 cache of 6MB instead of 2MB, as well as core and instruction-per-clock (IPC) enhancements.

New to its server lineup is the 6-core server processor “Istanbul,” which AMD said fits within the current socket F1, and will be available in the second half of 2009, aimed at allowing OEMs to preserve platform investments while increasing system performance-per-watt. Istanbul is planned to be available for configurations of 2P and supports AMD’s Direct Connect Architecture that is meant to alleviate system communication bottlenecks as with other processors.

Also, Allen also explained that in 2010, AMD expects to introduce a third-generation Opteron processor Socket G34 platform that will contain DDR3 memory capabilities and the AMD RD890 chipset for non-coherent HyperTransport 3.0, as well as an additional HT link.

Lastly, AMD said a 6-core server process, codenamed “Sao Paolo” is planned for the first half of 2010, which will incorporate DDR3 memory and HyperTransport 3.0. A 12-core version codenamed “Magny Cours,” will also contain the same features.