For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Server Trends: Intel Xeon 5500 Creates New Server Differentiation

by James Staten, May 28, 2009

Every new processor introduced comes with significant hype. The Intel Xeon 5500 may indeed live up to the hype; it not only provides a faster server processor option but also enables a greater level of differentiation for the server and storage vendor . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Q&A: Consolidating Linux Workloads On System Z

Best Fits For Making The Technology And Business Case

by Brad Day, April 21, 2009

Transitioning Linux workloads to run on a System Z footprint will first require your chief information officer's (CIO) sponsorship — as any step away from convention would entail. Take the shortcut on this assignment by asking him three simple questions: . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

The Multicore Programming Era Is Here

Vendor "Wake Up Call" On Performance Is Real; Here's What To Do

by James Staten, John R. Rymer, February 21, 2008

The era of multicore computing is here, and application development teams must embrace new programming approaches to reap the full performance and economic benefits of the new hardware. The new "multicore programming" approach will combine multithreading . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Evaluating HP Integrity's Systems Architecture — Itanium's Not The Differentiator

by Brad Day, August 3, 2007

During the past several years, both the business and competitive technology environment for HP Integrity business has indeed changed, and yet, HP's two most challenging Unix systems adversaries — Sun Microsystems and IBM — are still on the BAFO ("best . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Choosing A Strategic Systems Architecture

New Selection Criteria For Mission-Critical Unix Environments

by Brad Day, June 29, 2006

Most firms build their Unix server systems selection criteria based on the technology feature/functionality of the components — microprocessor type, micro-architecture design, and the server designs — applied against the optimization of select applications . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Hell Isn't Frozen Over, But Dell Commits To AMD

by Richard Fichera, Simon Yates, June 5, 2006

Ending years of frothy speculation, the monogamous Dell/Intel relationship is over. Dell announced plans to ship an Advanced-Micro-Devices-based server system by the end of 2006, hoping to revive its struggling business in 4-way servers and send a message . . .

Intel's IT Marketing: Progress Report

by Laurie M. Orlov, May 23, 2006

Forrester interviewed John Hotze, director of Intel's IT marketing group and a leader in the use of structured approaches to marketing IT's value and rollouts, for its August 2005 research report "The Marketing Of IT." We spoke with Mr. Hotze again in . . .

NVIDIA Buys ULi To Pump Up Mobile Graphics

ATI And Intel Are Targets As NVIDIA Beefs Up To Work With AMD

by Simon Yates, February 1, 2006

In December 2005, NVIDIA — a leader in the market for programmable graphics processors — announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire Taiwanese firm ULi Electronics — a developer of core logic — for $52 million. With the number of US households . . .

Add SWaP To The Server Benchmark Battlefield

by Brad Day, January 19, 2006

When it launched the new UltraSPARC T1 chip and the CoolThreads server rack design last month, Sun Microsystems also introduced a new metric for measuring server efficiency called space, wattage, and performance (SWaP). SWaP addresses the challenge of . . .

Thumbs Up On Intel's Multibrand Future

Intel's New "Leap Ahead" Brand Umbrella Gives It Room To Grow

by Ted Schadler, January 6, 2006

For Intel, the challenge is simple: How can the chipmaker get more Intel silicon into every digital device? The answer is to create bundled chip "platforms" and communicate each platform's potential to transform devices into digital experiences. To aid . . .

A First Look At Intel's New Centrino Duo Platform

by Simon Yates, January 5, 2006

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Intel officially introduced its new Centrino platform, previously code-named "Napa." The platform features new dual-core mobile processors, lower power consumption, improved integrated graphics performance, . . .

Sun Announces Niagara Processor

Initial Look Shows Convincing Performance And Outstanding Power Efficiency

by Richard Fichera, November 23, 2005

On November 14, Sun Microsystems announced the arrival of the long-awaited Niagara CPU called UltraSPARC T1, which is the first member of Sun's new multicore highly threaded SPARC processors. Niagara offers a binary-compatible upgrade path for current . . .

Biochemical Computing

Building Molecular And Cellular Alternatives To Today's Silicon-Based IT Stack

by Mark Dixon Bünger, October 24, 2005

Silicon processors, ferromagnetic storage, LCD screens, and multi-million line programs are the body and soul of today's computers. But a new species of computer is evolving in corporate and university research centers — one that's based on the chemistry . . .

Intel's Report Card: Multicore Momentum And Continued Itanium Investment

Report From Intel Developers Forum 2005

by Richard Fichera, September 22, 2005

The Intel Developer Forum (IDF), Intel's semiannual technology showcase, was valuable on a number of levels. In general, it reinforced the massive investment Intel is making in both current and future products across an incredible breadth of technology . . .

Intel Viiv Tackles Digital Home Barriers With Silicon

Silicon Solutions Speak Louder Than Standards For Digital Device Compatibility

by Paul Jackson, September 14, 2005

Intel's Viiv platform is the chip giant's strategy to use silicon to step up interoperability and copy protection standards in the digital home — and sell more Intel chips in the process. This strategy worked well with Centrino: The resulting adoption . . .

Linux On OpenPower — Ready For Short-Listing?

Criteria To Consider In The Future For Linux In The Mission Critical Enterprise

by Brad Day, July 19, 2005

In spite of the ever-increasing traction for the testing, piloting, and deploying of final "production class" versions of Linux-led applications, mission-critical-minded CTOs and CIOs — in both SMBs and the Fortune 100 — will still apply the same demanding, . . .

Apple's Intel Move Increases Its Business Prospects

Firms Will Be Drawn To The Mac's Increased Options For Interoperability

by Frank E. Gillett, Simon Yates, July 1, 2005

Apple says that it couldn't get what it needed in powerful, cool running processors from IBM or Freescale Semiconductor. As a result, Apple will migrate its Mac hardware onto Intel chips starting in the summer of 2006, finishing the job within a year. . . .

Exploit zAAP Capacity For Mainframe J2EE

Operational Savings For IBM Mainframe Java Adopters

by Colin Rankine, June 29, 2005

Organizations that are deploying new, Java-based application logic on the IBM mainframe platform should provision zSeries Application Assist Processors (zAAPs) when Java-based CPU consumption exceeds specific thresholds. The financial "break-even" point . . .

AMD Introduces Dual-Core Opterons

Major Jump In Capabilities For Users; Major Challenge For Intel

by Richard Fichera, May 5, 2005

On the second anniversary of its introduction of Opteron — the first 64-bit x86 CPU — Advanced Micro Devices announced its dual-core Opteron processors. These new Opterons offer dual cores in single sockets and perform between 30% and 100% better than . . .

Intel: A Digital Home Standards Bearer

But Intel Must Build A "Works Together" Certification Coalition

by Ted Schadler, Charles S. Golvin, April 8, 2005

Unless mainstream consumers can take a device out of the box and immediately begin enjoying its benefits, they'll leave the box on the retail shelf. Standards are critical to bringing that promise to life, and Intel has long been a standards bearer: first . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Intel Enhances Network Virtualization And Security

by Robert Whiteley, April 4, 2005

Intel is looking to position itself as the lead component supplier to the networking industry — a market currently characterized by proprietary solutions. As in the server and desktop market, Intel plans to incorporate advanced functions like embedded . . .

Unraveling The 64-Bit Battle

How 64-Bit Computing Moves Into The Mainstream In 2005

by Simon Yates, Brad Day, February 1, 2005

When Microsoft announced that it would build native 64-bit versions of Windows to support AMD's x86, 64-bit Opteron, and Athlon 64 processors, it put AMD back in the game. Intel responded with plans to extend its own 32-bit x86 Xeon and Pentium processors . . .

Server Architecture Will Diverge, Not Converge

Firms Will Need To Choose Servers By Workload Type

by Richard Fichera, November 8, 2004

Firms are facing diverse and growing needs for computing power driven by new types of code and new user demands. In response, system and CPU vendors will use proprietary advantages and the growing transistor count per CPU to offer alternatives to the . . .

HP's Quarterly Results: Hidden Gems And Growth Potential

by Richard Fichera, August 19, 2004

HP has attracted substantial negative media attention with its recent quarterly results, due to a significant shortfall in core infrastructure — especially server and storage — revenues. Forrester believes that there is absolutely no cause for concern . . .

HP And Intel Chip Flaws: Another Headache For IT

by Simon Yates, June 30, 2004

Both Intel and HP announced recalls this week. Intel is recalling an unspecified number of 915 and 925 family chipsets — widely known as Grantsdale and Alderwood — and HP discovered flaws in third-party memory modules currently shipping in some HP notebooks. . . .