Intel will next year deliver major changes to the PC
server architecture that will boost hardware performance, allowing
larger, more memory-intensive applications.
The advances are so significant that IT organisations should
consider delaying hardware purchasing decisions until the new
products have been evaluated, analysts and user groups have
advised.
"The technology developments are a huge step forward for the PC
server architecture," said Martin Hingley, group vice-president at
analyst firm IDC.
Intel will next year produce dual-core Xeon hybrid 32/64-bit
processors that will enable more than one application, or different
components of the same application, to run simultaneously. PC
server architecture will advance further with the replacement of
parallel hardware interfaces with serial interfaces.
Jim Pappas, director of initiatives at Intel's digital
enterprise group, said this will boost server performance by
allowing components and peripherals to communicate at much faster
speeds than is possible today.
The introduction of serial memory in 2006 will allow servers to
be configured with a new memory chip called FBDimm (Fully Buffered
Dual In-line Memory Module). The chip will support 32Gbytes of
memory - four times the current 8Gbyte maximum. The bandwidth of
the memory will also be boosted by 33% to 6.7gbps, Pappas said
Hingley said applications likely to take advantage of this
include MySQL and SQL Server 2005.
Mike Thompson, principal research analyst at Butler Group, said
the new technologies would drive server consolidation, but they
could also lead to more complexity. "You have to look at how you
use the servers as it can be easier and cheaper to maintain a
number of simple servers than one complex one," he warned.
HP user group deputy chairman Colin Butcher said, "If existing
systems are hitting the end of their usable life, IT departments
would want to replace now. But if maintenance costs are acceptable,
it would be worth waiting for next-generation products."