Showing posts with label intel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label intel. Show all posts

Wednesday 12 March 2014

Intel's New 800 Gbps MXC Cable Will Speed Up Data Centers

MXC cable with 800 Gb/s
Intel's Silicon Photonics project will be come to the end of reality. Famous for gorilla glass manufacturer Corning will sell the cable, which then allow in a data center bendable connections with up to 800 Gbit / s . Intel's MXC cables are gradually becoming a reality. The Silicon Photonics technology is to be brought in the third quarter of 2014 to the market and sell it according to some media reports.

Upto 300 meter long cables with a data throughput of 800 Gbit/s are possible now with these. To achieve high speeds Intel is by the dozen bundle glass fiber strands into a single cable and reach as per direction 800 Gbit/s output. The bundling of strands in it is nothing special. For a long time, there is the problem of insufficient bandwidth over fiber, so about QSFP was developed as a standard, the switch and server connections with 40 Gbit / s allows using Ethernet, the data direction uses two fibers and also for other standards such as Fiber Channel is used.

The enormously high integration of Intel, however, is something special and should be affordable anyway. Whole 64 fiber connections means Intel is in a small plug. Currently, just 25 Gbit / s per fiber are provided. When calculated the 1.6 Tbit / s that go in full duplex mode over the cable or rather the wiring harness. Intel is already planning to double the bandwidth to 50 Gb/s on each direction and then 1.6 Tbit/s can be reached. A high degree of integration is not only in the cables necessary, but also to the transceiver section. Intel also promises an easy deploy ability.

The cables may be more bent than conventional fiber optic cable. The bending radius is specified with only 7.5 mm. Also, foreign bodies can no longer influence the signal quality, since the light beam was increased. The Intel has been presented at the recent Intel Developer Forum in September 2013. It is part of the field Silicon Photonics and provides a connector with the name MXC.

Multimode fibers are used, which are commonly used for short-range and 1310 nm wavelength light. The cables are to be used primarily for connections in data centers. For more information on MXC - compounds can be found in an older MXC White Paper in PDF format from Intel and Corning.

Wednesday 19 February 2014

Intel launches 15-core Xeon E7 v2 with three ring buses

15-core Xeon E7 v2
As a series of E7 -4000 Intel offers its new server processors. However, the Xeons are based on the Ivy Bridge architecture and were upgraded primarily by new bus systems and AVX. They are previously codenamed Ivy Bridge -EX processors, Intel now on the series E7 -4000. The entire platform was previously codenamed Ivytown. Commonly is also the name E7 - v2, because these processors are the successor of the 2011 series introduced E7.

As this is also E7 - v2 designed for servers with up to eight sockets in which as many full x86 cores are working in parallel. Even if the model number 4000 suggests a proximity to the Core i 4000 Haswell, the Xeons are always based on the previous desktop architecture. In the case of E7 - v2 is the Ivy Bridge, Intel's first design with 22 nm feature size. By now probably good routine production process had started, the power consumption could remain largely the same and the fastest models are coming with up to 155 watts TDP.

The E- 8880 v2 is also of 15- Kernel, which only needs 130 watts. While Haswell processors are manufactured with various these, Intel has chosen for the Xeon E7 - v2 for only one reason. That is, It can offer three blocks for the L3 cache, each of which is connected to three units with up to five cores. Therefore, there is a flexible option for the number of nuclei is possible. In a study submitted to the Conference ISSCC Intel speaks of "chop options" presentation in their presentation. So they gave the reason for the right block with five cores and L3 cache should not actually be present in up to ten cores. So Intel just needs the manufacture for all new Xeons and can configure the functional cores so that the desired number of cores needed.

Since there is not a shared L3 cache for all cores as with previous Intel designs, the cores cannot communicate over a single ring bus. Which allow a direct connection of the three 5 -core blocks. Because of the location in the middle of this L3 cache can communicate with the left directly with adjacent data. The three ring buses are two Home Agents controlled with two memory controllers while since Sandy Bridge was always only one such controller for bus and memory interface at the desktop and mobile CPUs. Overall, the cache can be large with a fully equipped E7 v2 up to 37.5 Mbytes; an entire new Xeon consists of up to 4.3 billion transistors.

Production costs are also reflected in their price. In the cores themselves, there are the Ivy Bridge design extensions to the instruction sets. Thus, the E7 - v2 now dominated by AVX vector processing, as a new interface, there are PCI Express 3.0 with 32 lanes per socket. That does not sound much, but is also extended by the revised QPI bus, which connects the base. The new QPI 1.1 depending on the model with up to eight GT / s at work.

 In addition, there are now eight per socket instead of four memory channels. The two of them can also be connected together, which effectively corresponds to DDR3 - 2666. As individual channels memory is possible by DDR3 -1600. Both modes are supported by the storage drivers, codenamed Jordan Creek, which have not changed over the older Xeons. Using these blocks can be addressed up to 12 DIMMs per channel, giving a maximum of 48 terabytes of RAM for an eight- socket system with the still rare 64 -gigabyte Registered DIMMs.

The processor can be operated in lockstep mode with enhanced error correction but the faster performance mode with channel bundling is more than in half the RAM. It comes in the configuration of a system with the new Xeons so on the application range in some applications benefit from a lot of memory, other scale better with more cores or cache. Therefore, there is a need for the E7 - v2 in so many varieties, 20 models to choose from.

Because so different application profiles and processors, Intel also specifies different values for the benefit of computing power compared to the previous generation. At least twice as fast -with only 50 % more cores used in the server when as databases or Web applications are running. In highly optimized code with AVX for supercomputers gives a better result of three and a half times up to speed.

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Intel Broxton; A platform for mobile phones and tablets

Intel Broxton
Intel Broxton is an Atom -based platform for tablet and mobile phone. Intel has somewhat missed the tablet and Smartphone boom, but now wants to catch up with Qualcomm and others in the row. The solution provides the chip giant in a common platform concept for Smartphones and tablets codenamed as Broxton.

As of 2015, Intel plans to the Broxton chips that will succeed the current Atom CPUs code named as Bay Trail and in the beginning of 2014 to the market next Atom CPUs codenamed Cherry Trail produce, in 14 -nm process. Broxton will include improved atomic cores codenamed “Gold Mount “and a higher-performance GPU; Compared to the current atom of the Bay Trail – generation, Broxton can reach five times the CPU and 15 times the GPU performance!

 However, Intel will not only attack the high-end segment. By starting in Q3/Q4 2014 Atom CPU “SoFIA " Intel is targeting the tablet and mobile phone market for beginners and very price-conscious buyers. The highly integrated chip (SoC - System on Chip) will contain a 64- bit processor graphics unit and UMTS / LTE modem.

Tuesday 6 August 2013

Intel joined A4WP on Wireless Charging!



Recently Intel had indicated that he had joined with Samsung and Qualcomm in the A4WP, one of three consortia manufacturers who develop featured wireless charging. The arrival of Intel is likely to weigh in the balance strong, and then Intel may indeed push its partners from the PC world to join. Even though the wireless charging is already present in terminals like the Nexus 4 at Google or the Lumia 820 and Nokia 920, the fact remains that it is still in status at least embryo. Indeed, every manufacturer wants to develop their own technology. Today, three consortia exist: the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), Power Matters Alliance (PMA) and the Alliance For Wireless Power (A4WP). Each of the three has many members, as can be seen below. Popular Brands are present in two or three associations the example for it is LG or Samsung.
 WPC: 143 members
 PMA: 84 members
A4WP: 48 members

The first one works around the "Qi" technology, found for example on Nokia Lumia, but also on the Nexus 4 LG / Google. The second is developing the "Power 2.0". But both use the same principle while being incompatible that is charging by induction. The third one: The "Wireless Power Transfer" to charge multiple devices in parallel. Now Intel has in its ranks, goes a step further as it is a matter of charging operating induction and magnetic resonance. This technology has the soft name "Wireless Power Transfer" and permits charging several terminals simultaneously. But it is also about spreading more power: Max 20 W side of the transmitter, 6 W for the receiver. Intel had already demonstrated this principle at the last IDF in San Francisco where a Smartphone can be recharged wirelessly. But also a security software layer was necessary and operator Bluetooth, to avoid any phone starts approaching the principle of charging. The arrival of Intel, Will it make a difference? We are not so sure.

So far Intel has not given the direction he wishes to take, but the demonstrations so far during his IDF showed to where he is planning to go. We have to wait and see, whether his arrival in the A4WP will weigh in the balance or not. The giant Santa Clara often accustomed us to take time to impose his ideas. We remember the Ultrabook, the WiDi or before that Wi-Fi this was truly democratized when the demands made in its Centrino mobile stamped. In addition, Intel may well invite the many partners who gravitate around him to join him, which might have some weight in the balance. But we can also see the advance of the Wireless Power Consortium, which already has nearly 235 certified as a real leader to follow under the leadership of Nokia products. Ultimately, the technology seems much simpler and allows fewer things that developed by Intel and its partners.

Saturday 27 July 2013

Intel confirms the Haswell chip with 4.5W SDP




In the previous IDF San Francisco, Intel promised: Haswell will go down to 4.5 watts of SDP. While the first models announced earlier during the launch failed to reach such figures, but internal documents evoked such product have just been confirmed. Haswell (Core Processors fourth generation) will be of only a few watts! If the information seems to surprise some, it is not really surprising. Intel had indeed indicated that there is nearly a year that the chip goes beyond Ivy Bridge. The latter was to 7 watts of SDP for some particular models, and 10 watts to TDP. The Atom and his successors, they are limited to about 2 watts in terms of the products currently covered by the mark in terms of mobility. In June, we already learned that the purpose was reached already down to 6 watts for 2-in-1 and the Ultrabook, warning that he did not intend to stop there. And it's now official; there will also be versions of 4.5 watts only SDP that will emerge during the second half of 2013. And they will "build the first 2-in-1 passive based on Core architecture." It remains to know the price of this product and its performance. These will necessarily be limited, especially as the SDP wants a realistic indicator of power consumption under conditions of use. Hopefully accessible products may be right and it is not only for mini-luxury machines.

Tuesday 4 June 2013

Haswell, Intel’s Fourth-Gen Core Architecture Core i7-4770K



Intel has introduced the fourth generation of the processor Core i-series "Haswell". Is it have everything is new? Not at all! Tested the Core i7-4770K "Haswell" has as its predecessor 3770K from the "Ivy Bridge" series four cores on board, working with exactly the same clock: 3.5 GHz. It can be utilize Turbo Boost technology, a single core with 3.9 GHz clock - such as a grueling task as you shrink a video for Smartphones. Haswell Intel processors manufactured with advanced 22-nanometer process. Advantage: In a small area, many circuits (transistors) can be accommodated. Haswell has a whopping 1.4 billion transistors on a very small area of only 177 square millimeters. The operating system pretends the 4770K as its predecessor by Hyper-Threading to eight cores.

Windows can allocate parallel programs running on multiple (virtual) cores. The cache (L3) is very generous with eight megabytes. A genuine innovation: Intel has incorporated the voltage converter into the Haswell CPU. In the previous models sat still on the motherboard. Advantage: for example, even in energy losses it can be contained and the processor is operating efficiently. Intel launches Haswell recently with a new processor generation. That's for normal desktop PCs, but also Laptops, Ultrabooks and tablet PCs Convertibles. Anyone who wants to upgrade his PC with a Haswell CPU needs a new main board: The 4770K has now 1150 pins at the bottom. The work rate of 4770K is only slightly higher than that of 3770K. For this, the Haswell CPU is playing 27 percent more nimble than the previous model. The testers were certainly not surprised that the Haswell Office and internet tasks completed only minimally faster than the older 3770K.

 The performance advantage laid with the Haswell processor only six percent. Instead of the lame HD4000 graphics chip, the newly developed HD4600 is used. Although it is good for games but still demanding games like "Battlefield 3", but enough for a smooth playback of titles such as "The Sims 3". In the test, it delivered almost 12 frames per second - about 27 percent more than the 3770K. New generation of processors, Is it less power consumption? No! The Haswell even approved in the test a little more juice than its predecessor 3770K. The cause: If the stronger graphics chip called the current processor, it needs more energy. In pure mode, the Office Haswell CPU is significantly more economical than the Ivy Bridge processor: instead of 38.30 watts, there were only 32.8 watts - nearly 20 percent less!

Wednesday 29 May 2013

Intel buys the GPS navigation from ST-Ericsson



ST-Ericsson has confirmed the sale of its satellite navigation to Intel for an undisclosed amount. This includes and recovers all assets, intellectual property as well as 130 employees based in the UK, India and Singapore. The dismantling of the joint venture by STMicroelectronics and Ericsson continues with the sale of Intel GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) division. The latter provided satellite technology for GPS and GLONASS systems. The amount of the transaction was not disclosed, but ST-Ericsson said it would "reduce the cash requirements of the joint venture of approximately $ 90 million." Intel puts his hand on the assets of the GNSS division, intellectual property as well as 130 employees based in Daventry, England, Bangalore in India and Singapore. In March, ST Microelectronics and Ericsson announced their intention to withdraw from the joint venture after failing to find a buyer. The two partners have decided to share some of the activities of ST-Ericsson and close the rest. Almost 1600 staffs could be eliminated throughout the world, which includes 500 to 700 in Europe alone.

Tuesday 7 May 2013

“Silvermont” -New architecture dedicated to Atom Processors!



Intel has just lifted the veil on Silvermont, which a new architecture is dedicated to the Atom processors that will be used on chips engraved in 22 nm. But we learn very little and no details are given on the graphic part of the beast. As expected, Intel continues to announce new products in the field of low consumption chips that are the Atom. But in this field, efforts remain to be done in terms of performance and consumption. Silvermont was thought in this direction and this generation SoC receive a fine engraving by 22 nm, which remains one of Intel's benefits. They will be at the heart of the Bay Trail chips (Merrifield platform), which are expected for the last quarter of the year and should be an opportunity to see the emergence of new products, including tablets and hybrids running Android or Windows 8.1, but it seems planned to integrate as in desktop PCs.

For the moment, the company did not mention in detail the new architecture or few details that we already knew. The execution of instructions will be so "out-of-order", the CPU can rearrange to maximize its efficiency. Management 64-bit, virtualization, security features (Secure Key) and other instruction sets are part of, as finer management energy via new "C-states" and Burst 2.0 is a specific version of the Turbo Atom. In addition, up to four modules of two cores can be integrated. In the end, we are promised performance multiplied by three or five times less than at present consumption. We cannot wait to check these numbers in practice as it sounds optimistic.

 The side of the graphics chip, nothing officially filtered to the time or the level of performance hoped, either in its composition. At last, there was talk of an Intel IGP capable of handling HD video streams in encoding as well as decoding. But we should know more in the coming days. Anyway, the mobile market is not the sole target of Silvermont since the NAS should also take advantage of this new architecture with dedicated SoC, like Atom Avoton to replace the S1200 that are currently available.

Wednesday 10 April 2013

Intel Announces Next Generation Thunderbolt



Intel announced next generation of Thunderbolt with Ultrafast connectivity that would be twice as fast as today. Intel disclosed in a press conference that they were already working on an evolution of its connections. In doing so, the Thunderbolt is gradually approaching the promise of 100 Gbits per channel promised Light Peak, the original concept. Today, the Thunderbolt can send and receive data at 10 Gbps. Version 2.0 will double this rate to a increase of 20 Gbps. Coupled with its ability bidirectional transfer, this increased speed allows the user to watch a Ultra HD video while transferring a file at the same time and all this with a single cable connected between the computer and an external disk at the same instance. This new version of the Thunderbolt will be available in 2014 Intel added.

To take advantage, it will market a PC and devices with a chip Thunderbolt fourth generation and is code name "Falcon Ridge". In addition to his prodigious rates, the Thunderbolt is able to chain several devices together. Connected to each other, they communicate the same way with the computer as the first device connected to it. At the beginning of the project, Intel was mocked because they used copper in the very beginning instead of optical fiber which is the darling of manufacturers. While Apple was the first to trust Intel Thunderbolt implanting in its machines, it is now more than 200 manufacturers have taken a license.

Thursday 3 November 2011

All-in-one, why not?


Although laptops have made great progress in recent years, the all-in-one and keep the advantage thanks to the use of components "desktop" more muscular. If this is not very visible for office or media, those who perform intensive tasks like editing have a vested interest to use a stationary machine. The video game is a somewhat special case. For reasons of temperature, it is mainly from the world of mobile chips that are used in the all-in-one. Players will be hard-therefore better off with a more traditional tour. Note that miniaturization has not abandoned this area, as there are now very compact towers capable of carrying the full power of a desktop machine.