Sun Microsystemsis expected to herald the arrival of
its latest dual-core UltraSPARC processor today.
Code-named “Panther,” the company claims the second generation of its
dual-core design, known as the UltraSPARC IV+, is twice as fast running
applications than its existing UltraSPARC IV family. The processor, which was
spared by Sun during its
acquired
from Afara Websystems. At the heart of this new strategy is
Chip Multithreading (CMT), a design concept that allows the processor to
execute tens of threads simultaneously.
Although x86 vendors are only now migrating to dual-core chips, Sun is
well ahead of the curve. The UltraSPARC IV+ is a second-generation dual-core
design. IBMis also established in the category with its
Power processors.
AMDand Intelare still lagging
behind with their Opteron and Xeon chips, respectively.
The new chips are the first dual-core processors made for Sun using
90-nanometer process technology by its longtime manufacturer Texas
Instruments. Sun said its UltraSPARC IV+ uses expanded
caches and buffers, a better branch prediction mechanism, augmented
prefetching capabilities and new computational abilities to keep performance
high. The processor also includes a new 3-level cache hierarchy, with a fast
on-chip 2MB, second-level cache and a large 32MB off-chip, third-level cache.
The new server chips are also expected to include an array of new RAS
features, as Sun’s customers are having to incorporate storage
in their systems.
“Sun is showing the market that it is serious about delivering on the
promise of Throughput Computing,” Kevin Krewell, principal analyst for
In-Stat/MDR, said in a statement. “We are impatiently awaiting the
revolutionary Niagara processor to hit the market in 2006. This will be a
huge departure from conventional processor design that will subsequently
alter the face of network computing infrastructure as we know it.”
Dale Greenley, UltraSPARC IV+ director of engineering, is expected to
highlight the chip’s capabilities at the In-Stat/MDR’s Fall Processor Forum
in Silicon Valley this week.
In addition to Panther, Sun’s roadmap includes a co-development
partnership with Tokyo-based Fujitsu. Starting in 2006, the two companies
that supply SPARC-based servers are expected to begin rolling out their
joint Advanced Product Line (APL), also known as Olympus.
APL is a server product line that combines mid- to high-end
traditional SMP (Symmetric Multi-Processing) systems made by
Fujitsu with low- to mid-range servers from Sun.
As previously reported,
the three-year initiative wraps a 20-year partnership around next-generation,
64-bit RISC chips. The joint effort is expected to produce
servers that scale from one to multiple processors.
The Fujitsu APL systems will use its Olympus processor with its Jupiter
system Interconnects. Sun is basing its APL systems on its Niagara
processor, which is a glue-less Chip Multithreading system that has been
pre-configured to address 14 separate case usage models such as
network-centric, data-centric, compute-centric and workstations. All
APL-branded servers are expected to run Solaris 10. The only subtle
differences expected are in hardware such as faceplates and colors to
distinguish the systems.