Computers with AMD's Opteron processor will soon be able
to take advantage of the same power management technology the
company has already built into its laptop and desktop
microchips.
Called PowerNow, the technology is a combination of
microprocessor instructions and operating system software that
increases or reduces the amount of power supplied to the chip
depending on how much it is being used.
AMD consumer software strategist Margaret Lewis said PowerNow
was similar in concept to the Cool'n'Quiet technology used in AMD
desktop systems, and would be useful in server systems, where it
can save on electricity and cooling costs in datacentres. "It's
kind of like the fan in your car knowing to kick in when your
engine reaches a certain temperature," she said.
Lewis said PowerNow instructions had been built into the Opteron
processor since May. Customers who have already purchased systems
based on these chips will be able to activate PowerNow via a BIOS
upgrade, available on AMD's website, when system support for
PowerNow becomes generally available in the first half of 2005.
Robert McMillan wdrites for IDG News Service