AMD Draws Up Server Plans for Next Two Years
After suffering from heavy losses, AMD takes some time to reorganize its two-year map for server and PC chips. According to AMD executives, the number two CPU maker has plans not only to reveal a new server-chip design in 2009 , but also to push forth faster versions of its Barcelona quad-core server chip later on in the year. The company’s short-term goal is to get the Barcelona “out there” into the market. While the Barcelona chips that will be available this quarter will only clock at 2GHz, AMD has plans to deliver faster versions in Q4, according to Randy Allen, corporate VP of AMD’s server products division.
“Barcelona will come in three varieties, Allen said. The mainstream version will account for 77 percent of AMD's quad-core shipments and will debut at 2GHz. A more power-efficient version will debut at 1.9GHz, with faster speeds available later in the year, and a high-performance version will arrive in the fourth quarter at 2.3GHz or faster, he said.”
It seems that the company is disclosing company details about future chips in order to demonstrate to customers that AMD is on a solid track. That’s why AMD has revealed that “Shanghai” will arrive next year as Barcelona’s 45nm little brother. It is said that both Shanghai and Barcelona will be compatible with chipsets that are currently available for AMD’s dual cores. Fast forward to 2009, and we should see AMD’s release of a new core design known as “Sandtiger,” and a new platform for DDR3 memory. Sandtiger will use a new design which Allen referred to as “Direct Connect 2,” which will involve four HT links per chip and will come with an AMD-designed server chipset. Moreover, it was announced that Sandtiger will be a monolithic eight-core processor built on 45nm manufacturing technology.
