Dual-core servers
Published: 26 Feb 2007
What next for multi-core?
Dual-core 64-bit server processors capable of running industry-standard x86 software are now readily available from both Intel and AMD. Moreover, despite a number of false starts, the latest implementations are pretty well matched in terms of both performance and power consumption.
If you’re in the market for a 2-way server, therefore, the processors to look out for are those in Intel's Xeon 5000 family and the Opteron 2000 range from AMD. The leading hardware vendors all offer servers based on both processors, and the focus of attention (as far as further development is concerned) has now switched to quad-core, with Intel the first to market in this area.
No new servers have been announced yet, but Intel-based servers designed to take the latest dual-core processors can also be fitted with quad-core chips. However, in order to beat AMD to the punch, Intel has opted for a compromise approach, effectively packaging two dual-core processors together to create the new quad-core Xeon implementation.
This compromise limits the performance gains that are possible and when AMD launches later this year (2007) its new Opteron (codenamed Barcelona) will feature four processing cores on a single die, with all the benefits of its Direct Connect architecture. As a result, AMD is confident that the quad-core Opteron will outperform Intel’s first-generation quad-core Xeon by a substantial margin.
However, as ever, that’s set to change when Intel comes out with its own on-die quad-core design. At which point both companies will claim parity and start to focus on 8-core designs and beyond.
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