The T's: Intel's All-Star Lineup of Technologies
The world of computing has changed a lot in the last few years.
Today, Intel is driving a new definition of performance—a definition that goes beyond speed alone to encompass new features that deliver anytime, anywhere safer computing.
Offering user-centric capabilities, Intel is delivering a host of new platform enhancements, a select group of which are referred to as “The T's," technologies that represent an evolution in the way computer platforms are designed and used.
With the T’s, Intel is focusing its strategy to deliver end-user benefits beyond just gigahertz (GHz) to platforms in all segments, with features that enhance security, multitasking, mobility, manageability, reliability, flexibility, and more. In fact, some of the business changes at Intel in the last few months have helped the company sharpen its focus on the T's.
Speaking about recent changes as part of a “right-hand turn” or the “platformization” of Intel, company leaders explain why Intel has canceled several high-profile projects, realigned its product road map, and moved resources away from pure GHz-oriented projects: Intel is embracing two priorities: multi-core product lines and key platform silicon technologies like the T’s.
HT: Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
For consumers and businesses of all sizes Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (HT Technology) offers more efficient multitasking and system responsiveness. Users enjoy improved performance running multiple applications simultaneously, such as running a virus scan or encoding video in the background while playing a game. For IT managers, HT Technology means more efficient use of processor resources, greater throughput, and improved performance.
HT Technology allocates and reallocates processor resources to applications as they need horsepower. Essentially, it maximizes the efficiency of the processor by allowing the processor to complete more tasks in a given amount of time. HT Technology does this by enabling multi-threaded software applications to execute threads in parallel.
Introduced in 2002, HT Technology enables one physical processor to appear and behave as two virtual processors to the operating system. HT Technology is Intel’s leadership precursor to dual-core and multi-core platforms, yet HT Technology will remain strategically important to Intel well beyond the introduction of dual- and multi-core capabilities. In the last two years, Intel has shipped more than 50 million desktop, mobile, and server processors with HT Technology.
VT: Vanderpool Technologies
Partitioning a system for multiple uses is the idea behind this T. Vanderpool Technologies (VT) enable one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. VT creates a virtual hardware partition inside a system to allow the same processor to run different programs and even entire operating systems on the same machine at the same time.
Imagine, for instance, using your PC in one room while a family member plays a video game in another room using the same PC. For business clients, VT improves business manageability, limiting downtime and maintaining worker productivity. For servers, VT enhances reliability, efficiency and flexibility for server consolidation, legacy migration, and security.
VT for Itanium® processor-based platforms will be available in 2005. VT for Xeon™ and Pentium® 4 processor based platforms is targeted for 2006 server, workstation, and desktop platforms.
EM64T: Intel®Extended Memory 64 Technology
Intel introduced Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T) in 2004 for workstations and high-performance computer server platforms, and plans to introduce the technology for desktop platforms when Microsoft’s 64-bit client operating system arrives. With the appropriate supporting platform hardware, software, and drivers EM64T allows server, workstation, and desktop platforms to access larger amounts of memory.
Applications that manipulate or create large amounts of data at once are likely to show early benefits from this technology. For example, high performance computing applications on servers in general benefit from direct access to very large amounts of memory.
In addition, Intel expects workstation and high-end desktop applications such as those that perform 3D modeling and design, simulation, analysis, and prototyping to benefit from larger memory availability. Other applications that will benefit include digital content creation such as 3D modeling and animation, audio editing/compositing, digital video editing, and DVD authoring.
Intel® AMT: Intel® Active Management Technology
Intel’s latest addition to the T’s, Intel Active Management Technology (Intel® AMT), promises to make life easier for IT managers and businesses of all types. The technology enables IT managers to remotely access every networked computing system—even those that lack a working operating system, those that have a failed hard drive, and those that are turned off.
Intel® AMT contributes to the “embedded IT” initiative of Intel’s Digital Office client program.
“Intel AMT is technology to solve problems specifically identified by IT organizations across a range of industries,” says Chad Taggard, director of marketing in Intel’s Networking and Storage Group. “It’s technology developed for the business computing environment—the digital office.”
The technology is a significant first step in Intel's vision for the digital office initiative and will provide solutions for three of the most pressing issues identified by today's IT managers: reducing desk-side visits, improving asset management, and reducing downtime.
Intel AMT is integrated into hardware and firmware to prevent intentional or accidental tampering. The technology uses nonvolatile memory to store information, enabling IT managers to access a system even if the operating system is inoperative.
Intel AMT is one of several capabilities Intel is delivering as “embedded IT” within the company’s digital office initiative. Embedded IT delivers capabilities IT managers value, features such as proactive management, system availability, malware protection, and information security. It provides tamper-resistant troubleshooting, recovery, and inventory management capabilities accessible whether the operating system is running or not.
Intel AMT reduces the total cost of ownership, allowing IT personnel to focus spending on transforming the business through other IT investments. Intel AMT is expected to be available in 2005 on Intel platforms.
LT: LaGrande Technology
Today’s PC client users want secure systems. LaGrande Technology (LT)-enabled hardware platforms create a hardware foundation that helps protect sensitive information from software-based attacks without compromising usability. LT also contributes to the "embedded IT" initiative of Intel's Digital Office client program.
LT is a versatile set of client hardware enhancements to Intel processors, chipsets, and platforms that help protect the confidentiality and integrity of data stored or created on the client PC. It provides enhanced protection against software-based attacks and a hardware foundation for strengthening the operating system and applications.
Intel is planning on making LT available on desktop platforms in 2006, in the same timeframe Microsoft releases its Longhorn operating system.
Mobile Solutions for CATIA Users
Engineers and design professionals on the go have long faced the challenge of working efficiently away from the office. Notebook computers with the certified graphics, powerful processors and memory architectures needed to handle the demands of CATIA often sacrificed battery power and run-time. Data security, limited drive options and weight were also concerns.
The portable workstation class notebooks introduced in the past year promise improvements on these fronts. They provide desktop-equivalent performance and innovative power management solutions for longer battery life. Their improved networking options and new security tools help protect data and intellectual property.
At the leading edge of these new technologies is the HP Compaq nw8240 Mobile Workstation, which offers a 15.4-inch widescreen display, an ATI Mobility FireGL V5000 graphics card, 128MB of dedicated graphics memory and OpenGL support. It features the new Mobile Intel® 915M Express Chipset with Intel Pentium® M processors of up to 2.13 GHz with a 533 MHz front side bus and 2 MB L2 cache. It also features up to 2.04 GB of DDR-2 SDRAM and Intel Centrino™ technology for superior power management and enhanced wireless networking options. While clock speeds look slow compared to Intel Pentium 4 processors, Intel Pentium M processors perform as if they are running 800 to 1,000 MHz faster than they are.
The HP nw8240 comes with up to 80 GB of hard drive, plus the capacity to add a variety of MultiBay II devices in a soft-eject drive bay for quick device changes. Wireless networking solutions include Intel PRO/Wireless, Broadcom 802.11 solutions and optional integrated Bluetooth wireless. Hardwired communications solutions include standard 56k dial-up modem and NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express. There is also the usual complement of USB, VGA video, audio, S-video, serial, IR and docking ports.
A number of security solutions have been designed into the HP nw8240 to protect your data if it is ever lost, stolen or used without permission. These include a suite of security tools called HP ProtectTools, an integrated Smart Card reader, HP DriveLock technology and an optional Trusted Platform Module Embedded Security Chip. The HP Mobile Data Protection System also buffers your data from the shock and vibration inherent in portable operations, reducing the potential for damage in transit.
The new HP Compaq nw8240 Mobile Workstation offers four hours of runtime on the primary battery and a travel battery that extends runtime by another four hours. Both batteries can be charged while the machine is docked for greater convenience. It also weighs in at a svelte 5.8 pounds.
HP once again proves that going mobile doesn’t mean losing capability and productivity.
For more information on this and other HP mobile workstations, visit HP workstation website.
For the latest information on the latest HP offerings for CATIA users, visit HP Dassault Systèmes webpage.
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