The AMD Opteron™ Processor for High-end Embedded Designs

The AMD Opteron™ Processor for High-end Embedded Designs

Providing a balanced approach to embedded system design

The AMD Opteron™ processor provides a breakthrough in high-performance, low power processing for edge-of-enterprise markets including storage and telecommunications, as well as more traditional embedded markets such as security and medical imaging, military systems, and single-board computing.

AMD64 technology with Direct Connect Architecture provides a balanced foundation for embedded systems. Based on the industry-standard x86 platform, AMD64 delivers the right match of processing power, memory performance, I/O throughput, and scalability. Add the vision of 32- and 64-bit application support with native multi-core computing in a consistent thermal envelope and many embedded designers are finding their next-generation systems deliver record-breaking application performance.

What can a leading processor platform offer?

AMD Opteron processors with Direct Connect Architecture can improve overall system performance and efficiency by helping eliminate traditional bottlenecks inherent in legacy architectures where legacy front-side buses restrict and interrupt the flow of data. With AMD Opteron processors, there are no front-side buses. Instead, the processors, memory, and I/O are directly connected to the CPU and communicate at CPU speed. Further, the integrated memory controller dramatically reduces memory latency while HyperTransport™ technology delivers the industry’s highest I/O bandwidth. Data speeds through the system without encountering the traditional front-side bus bottleneck of competing x86 platforms. In addition to the architectural benefits inherent in Direct Connect Architecture, the AMD Opteron processor offers the following unique advantages for high-end embedded systems:

HyperTransport technology provides up to 24.0GB/s peak bandwidth per processor

On-die integrated memory controller offers available memory bandwidth up to 10.7GB/s (with DDR2-667) per processor

Hardware assisted AMD Virtualization™ in AMD Opteron processors with DDR2 helps streamline the efficiency of multiple servers and provides virtual machine memory isolation for improved security

AMD PowerNow!™ technology with Optimized Power Management can deliver performance on demand while minimizing power consumption

DDR2-based platforms can upgrade to quad-core AMD Opteron processors when they are available in 2007 within existing power and thermal envelopes for significantly better performance-per-watt

Reliable, scalable

It’s a fact that reliability is key in selecting embedded system components. AMD Opteron processors are NEBS-friendly, supporting telecommunications industry requirements for reliability. AMD64 technology provides features like Error Correcting Code (ECC) and JTAG interfaces for effective debug during system development. Additionally, Direct Connect Architecture requires fewer chips on the motherboard, further enhancing a system’s overall reliability. The AMD Opteron processor provides unique scalability options with glueless multi-processing from one socket (2 core) to 8 socket (16 core) systems. This, combined with AMD64’s reliability, helps provide an embedded design that can give customers a long-range plan for the life cycle of their systems.

Beyond outstanding processors: Longevity, exceptional design support, quick time to market The AMD64 Longevity Program ensures that the high-performance processors you select for an embedded design will be available for a longer than standard time frame. AMD understands the unique requirements of the embedded market and our AMD64 Longevity Program is in place to maximize the available choice of leadingedge x86 processors – delivering a wide range of performance, power, thermal, and packaging features. AMD has a strong design support program in place. From RDKs to extensive and readily available documentation to a suite of leading debug tools, our goal is to make your design cycle quick and efficient, and to help you get your embedded products on the market quickly. Add this to the improved time to market achieved with utilizing commercial off-the-shelf products like the industry-standard x86 AMD Opteron processor.

What about performance-per-watt?

It’s a growing concern from the data center to embedded systems – how to increase computing performance without incurring excess power draw, additional cooling requirements, or taking up more space in either real estate or form factor. AMD was first to recognize that the processor could offer part of the solution in reducing total cost of ownership. • Microprocessor architecture – AMD64 processor design helps reduce the overall system power budget with integration of the North Bridge, while multi-core processors offer increased performance, with higher compute density and scalability • Low power processors – AMD provides a stable,

consistent roadmap with a variety of wattage options • Low operational costs – reduced power draw and heat

dissipation means lower data center energy costs. Features like AMD PowerNow!™ technology with Optimized Power Management delivers performance on demand and minimizes power consumption • AMD Opteron processors with DDR2 offer a seamless upgrade path to quad-core computing in the same power and thermal envelope

AMD and Dell sign deal for millions of chips

WE HAVE LEARNED of a knees-up held in Mikey's Dell house in Texas, where execs from AMD and Dell gathered in and around the hot tub, to browse through a wodge of legal papers.

The shindig marked the signing of a pact between the one-time Intel-only computer-maker and the upstart chip maker.

And it appears that AMD just pulled biggest coup in the history of chippery, whatever it turns out in sales results.

The event was concluded with a deal about "No Leaks" policy, but the magnitude of the news was such in both companies that there was no way it wouldn't get to lower segments of the company.

According to our molars, Dell's AMD-powered offerings will include the full range of desktops, notebooks, workstations with a clear marketing focus on student notebooks for an initial Back-To-School line-up.

The AMD-Dell deal not only includes 4P servers or 2P servers but is more focused on desktop and notebook side of things. The CPUs in question are single and dual-core Athlon 64s, Semprons and of course, Opterons. While we have no information about the timings new line of Dell XPS desktops, the notebook side of the thing is getting prepped as we right now.

The computers will be advertised as "Windows Vista Premium Ready", and the graphics mix is likely to come from Nvidia side for now.

ATI will be in with a sniff too, since Dell will use Captain Canuck's components in Intel and AMD mobile SKUs.

The workstation deal is pretty simple to understand: AMD is a favourite in Hollywood and is making great strides in other industries as well. The Opteron Quadro combo has been taking market share for years, and Dell did not like the look on the combination in IBM and HP offerings, yet alone specialist companies like Boxx Technologies.

If you're still wondering why a market-share leading company like Dell might take the risk and go the competitor's route at the time when new marchitecture from its primary partner is probably set to rock the world, there is only one simple reason: Supply.

Dell can get Conroes and a great share of WoodCrests and take a ticket to stand in line for Meroms, which are scheduled to be split between Apple and Lenovo. No other manufacturer will get anywhere near the volumes of these two, and Dell just does not like to be on a short leash. Especially if it spends valuable TV air-time and paper ads on products that look likely to be put on a back-order.

This autumn is gearing up to be the most interesting one in a long time. And the AMD-Dell deal looks likely to stay.