Intel® Multi-Core Processors
With more than 15 multi-core processor designs underway, Intel is on a fast-track to deliver multi-core processors in high volume across all its platform families, including client, server and communications systems. A multi-core processor includes two or more complete execution cores per physical processor, enabling server platforms to handle more tasks, software threads or applications simultaneously. These capabilities can be expected to drive a remarkable new era of server performance and flexibility, providing business with platforms that can better handle escalating workloads and rapidly evolving usage models.
Intel dual-core processors are just the first step in this transition. The first Intel dual-core processor was launched for desktops in April 2005, and Intel is already working on a multi-core architecture that could eventually feature dozens or even hundreds of processor cores on a single die. Plans are also underway to develop specialized, configurable cores that will deliver optimized performance for some of tomorrow's most critical tasks, such as data mining and advanced image and speech processing.
Empowering the Software Industry
Multi-core processors are an example of parallelism, which Intel has been driving forward for more than a decade: first with multi-processor platforms and then with Hyper-Threading Technology (HT). Throughout that time, Intel has been working with leading software vendors to deliver multi-threaded code that can take full advantage of these capabilities. As a result, Intel has established extensive tools, resources, expertise and relationships that have helped drive thread-optimization across a wide range of business applications.
Now Intel is accelerating these efforts, working with leading developers and academia to deliver increasingly advanced tools, adaptive libraries and other infrastructure that will help the industry take full advantage of evolving platform capabilities. These resources will help software developers transition from dozens of threads in some of today's leading operating systems and applications, to hundreds or even thousand of threads in future solutions.
In tandem with these efforts, Intel is working with key vendors to fuel the ongoing development of virtualization, consolidation, grid and utility computing solutions. These technologies are already helping IT organizations utilize Intel processor-based platforms more effectively, and will be increasingly important to take advantage of next-generation systems based on multi-core processors.
Delivering Cross-Platform Value
Powerful, balanced platforms are as important as software in translating multi-core processing into meaningful business value, and Intel is focused on delivering innovative new capabilities across all its platform families. Today, that means delivering the latest memory (DDR2) and I/O (PCI Express*) technologies, along with extended bus architectures that can keep pace with increasing processor performance. It also means integrating innovative new platform technologies, such as Intel® Virtualization Technology, Intel® I/O Acceleration Technology (Intel® I/OAT), Intel® Active Management Technology, and Intel Power Tools.
In conjunction with Hyper-Threading Technology, these new capabilities will be instrumental in helping businesses grow, optimize value, reduce costs and mitigate risk as they transition to multi-core processor-based platforms. They will also help them establish a flexible, standards-based foundation for ongoing platform, IT and business innovation.
Helping Businesses Transition
Multi-core processors represent a critical industry inflection point. Intel envisions delivering a 10X performance gain over the next four years (compared to a 3X improvement in the last four years). To help businesses make the most of this transition, Intel is increasing its enabling efforts, providing additional information, tools and resources that can help you plan and implement a successful migration.
Seed Platforms-to help enable mainstream adoption, Intel plans to offer early and broad access to multi-core processor-based platforms for development, testing and validation-beginning with dual-core processor-based platforms in mid-2005.
Software Optimization for Multi-Core Processors-Intel provides independent software vendors (ISVs) and corporate developers with cutting edge tools for threaded software development and optimization; as well as information, training and professional support. Intel® Software Network (Intel® SN) will make these resources more accessible and valuable than ever before.
Transition Guidance for Multi-Core Processors-Intel® Solution Services provides expert guidance that can help you get the most from multi-core processors and other new platform capabilities, within the context of your unique business and IT environment.
The Impact of Multi-Core Processors on Your Business and IT Strategy
The flexibility, reliability and manageability of Intel® processor-based platforms-along with the performance advantages of multi-core processors-will help fuel transformative new business and IT usage models, both now and in the future. The following may be helpful as you plan for change.
Explore Transformative Business Solutions-from real-time business interactions to automated asset tracking, the ability of technology to transform business is increasing. Many of these solutions will demand fast throughput for multiple, simultaneous transactions-a perfect fit for Intel multi-core processor-based platforms.
Take Advantage of Increasingly Flexible CPU Resources-in tandem with new virtualization solutions, Intel multi-core processors will enable increasingly granular allocation of processing power. Plan on using these capabilities to tailor and enhance service levels for multiple applications and complex workloads.
Work to Optimize Datacenter Efficiency-Server virtualization and consolidation, grid computing, and embedded IT capabilities are helping companies simplify their datacenters, improve utilization, and reduce total costs. Multi-core Intel processors will give IT more granular control to support these and other critical advances.
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