Sign in Subscribe
Software industry

Intel's Merced: A Game-Changer for High-End Server Architecture

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Intel's impending release of the 64-bit CPU architecture, Merced, is poised to revolutionize the high-end server landscape. Developed in collaboration with Hewlett-Packard, Merced's EPIC (Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing) architecture will enable unprecedented scalability and performance. This marks a significant shift for Intel, once considered a desktop competitor, now poised to enter the realm of enterprise computing. The tech giants are racing to position themselves near Intel, and some are partnering to survive in the new computing environment.

Key Takeaways:

  • Intel's Merced architecture, set to be released in late 1999, will feature EPIC technology, enabling unprecedented scalability and performance.
  • Merced's 64-bit processor will address up to 64GB of memory, allowing for more efficient data processing and memory allocation.
  • Companies like Data General, Sequent, Sun, and Hewlett-Packard are embracing the NonUniform Memory Architecture (NUMA) approach to improve scalability.
  • Compaq plans to deploy its backplane and clustering technology to develop a high-speed Merced-based server architecture.
  • Microsoft and Sequent are collaborating on a NUMA-ready version of Windows NT 5.0 to be released before the year's end.
  • Digital will continue to support its three operating systems on all platforms, including Alpha technology, which is poised to outperform Intel's 64- and 32-bit systems in terms of performance.
  • Hewlett-Packard will maintain its advantage through its head start in areas like IO subsystems, board-level integration, and compiler technology.
  • IBM will continue to support all operating systems on its Netfinity Intel 32-bit servers, but has not announced plans for a 64-bit version of OS/2 or a NUMA-based solution.

Statistics:

  • Intel's Merced will address up to 64 billion bytes (GB) of memory.
  • Compaq plans to create a high-speed Merced-based server architecture using its Tandem backplane and clustering technology.
  • Digital's Alpha technology is expected to outperform Intel's 64- and 32-bit systems in terms of performance.
  • Microsoft's Windows NT 5.0 will be released later this year, eliminating limitations on memory addressability.
  • The release of Windows NT 5.0 will mark the beginning of Microsoft's 64-bit version on IA-64 architecture, offering significant performance improvements.

Sources:

  • [http://www.computerworld.com/articles/1999/01/04/504001/](http://www.computerworld.com/articles/1999/01/04/504001/)
  • [http://www.eetimes.com/article/198208/](http://www.eetimes.com/article/198208/)
  • [http://www.cio.com/research/financial/merced.html](http://www.cio.com/research/financial/merced.html)
  • [http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/columns/rumors/9706/22.html](http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/columns/rumors/9706/22.html)

Read more