Intel has previewed a new Intel Xeon processor codenamed Nehalem-EX designed for expandable high-end Intel server platforms, which the chipmaker claims will deliver a number of new technical advancements and boost enterprise computing performance.
In production later in 2009, the Nehalem-EX processor will feature up to eight cores inside a single chip supporting 16 threads and 24MB of cache.
Nehalem-EX will add new reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) features traditionally found in the company's Intel Itanium processor family, such as Machine Check Architecture (MCA) Recovery. Together with new levels of performance, both high-end processors should speed the move away from more expensive, proprietary RISC-processor based systems, Intel forecast.
Ideal for server consolidation, virtualized applications, data demanding enterprise applications and technical computing environments, Nehalem-EX will offer up to nine times the memory bandwidth of the previous-generation Intel Xeon 7400 platform. Nehalem-EX will also double memory capacity with up to 16 memory slots per processor socket, and offer four high-bandwidth QuickPath Interconnect links, noted Intel.
Nehalem-EX will provide scalability, from large-memory two-socket systems through eight-socket systems capable of processing 128 threads simultaneously without the need for third-party chips, Intel highlighted. Additional scalability options including greater socket counts will be possible with third-party solutions.
Source: DIGITIMES
