What is dual-core technology? Learn about its evolution and benefits in this interactive tour>>>

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Celebrating the Second Anniversary of the AMD Opteron Processor


Join us in our celebration now via Web cast>>>

Premier Technology & Preeminent Solutions: Dual-Core Processors for x86-based Computing
Today, we continue to drive technology leadership with the introduction of another computing first: dual-core technology for the x86-based server and workstation computing market. Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors for servers and workstations are immediately available for 4-way to 8-way computing solutions and the AMD Opteron 200 Series processor will be available to partners in late May 2005. Our partners, including Cray, Egenera, HP, IBM, Sun, Supermicro and more have announced new dual-core products using the unrivaled architecture inherent in the world’s leading x86, 64-bit computing environment – AMD64.

Our new processors are the next evolutionary step in AMD64 technology with Direct Connect Architecture and were designed from the ground up to support multiple cores on a single die, along with memory, I/O and dedicated caches, improving overall system performance and efficiency. Our unique Direct Connect Architecture links all components of the chip together using HyperTransport™ technology, eliminating the need for time-intensive re-routing through a front-side bus and allowing you to fully capture the performance advantages of 64-bit computing without encountering bottlenecks .

Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors maximize performance by enabling operating systems to prioritize and manage tasks from multiple applications simultaneously. Two cores offer more physical resources to support multi-tasking environments, which is becoming increasingly important on server and workstation platforms. In addition, AMD dual-core technology enables you to increase your computing capacity without increasing power requirements, providing the best performance-per-watt computing in the industry.

Unlike rival systems, your migration to dual-core processing with AMD will be seamless, thanks to a non-disruptive upgrade path. Because the AMD Opteron processor was architected for dual-core from the very beginning, the power envelope for dual-core processors is designed to accommodate existing sockets and power infrastructures enabled for 90nm single-core and allows you to maintain your single-core system footprint and power envelope. The AMD64 environment also allows businesses like yours to deploy existing x86 applications, but adds the capability to run 64-bit OS solutions specifically designed to exploit the potential of dual-core.

Adding to the excitement and importance of the introduction of the world’s first x86 dual-core processors is unprecedented partner support and the number of dual-core-based solutions our partners are bringing to the industry -- several new dual-core systems were announced today from a variety of our partners including Cray, Egenera, HP, IBM and Sun and Supermicro.

Cray, a global leader in high-performance computing, announced that the Cray XD1 and Cray XT3 supercomputing systems will be available with Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors. Both of these widely adopted supercomputer platforms, which run some of the world's most complex computations, were designed to incorporate the application performance advantages of multi-core processing and Direct Connect Architecture.

Dawning Information Industry Corp Ltd., a leading server manufacturer in China, will announce 10 new servers based on the Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor, including the two-way R210A, A620R-D, A650, A650R and A850 servers; the four-way R4280A, R4380A and S4800A servers; the eight-way A950 server; and the Dawning 4000A supercomputer cluster. Dawning customers can order these new platforms immediately.

Egenera, an industry leader in utility computing and blade servers, will make four-processor, eight-core and two-processor, four-core Egenera Processing Blade configurations available with Dual-Core AMD64 technology this quarter. Egenera's adoption of Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors enables greater flexibility for customers who require high computational performance.

HP today launched the new HP ProLiant BL45p server blade and the dual-core HP ProLiant DL585. Both systems are based on the Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor, and enable enterprises to build more agile IT infrastructures. In addition, HP announced dual-core support for its existing AMD Opteron processor-based servers, blades and workstation. "We have experienced rapid adoption of HP ProLiant servers based on AMD Opteron processors as customers seek the performance and price/performance advantages delivered by our powerful AMD Opteron processor-based portfolio," said Brad Anderson, senior vice president and general manager, Industry Standard Servers, HP. "The introduction of dual-core technology drives more opportunities for our customers to stretch the boundaries of what can be achieved using industry-standard architecture. HP is enabling customers to take advantage of this aggressive innovation through the introduction of the new dual-core server models we have announced today, and HP will support Dual-Core
AMD Opteron processors in 2P servers and blade servers as soon as they are available from AMD."

IBM is also capitalizing on the performance advantages contained in the new processors with the soon-to-be-available Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor-based IBM IntelliStation A-Pro Workstation and IBM eServer 326. Dave Turek, vice president, Deep Computing, IBM said, "The rate of innovation we have witnessed on the AMD Opteron processor has been nothing short of meteoric. Two years ago, IBM was the first OEM to announce support for the AMD Opteron processor, and we are excited today to support the new Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors with our server and workstation product lines. In addition, IBM is working closely with AMD to enable AMD Opteron processor-based blade technology as part of the BladeCenter ecosystem."

Sun Microsystems, a company that has closely collaborated with AMD in bringing innovative dual-core solutions to market, announced dual-core support for their entire currently shipping family of AMD64 technology-based systems. John Fowler, executive vice president, Network Systems Group, Sun, said, "The combination of Sun Fire V40z servers and our Solaris 10 operating system, which has been optimized for AMD64 technology and dual-core processing, represents the next logical step for enterprise customers looking for a complete two-way through eight-way server solution in their data centers. With this powerful combination of technologies, our customers will be able to deploy mid-range servers to address significant workloads with the option to use Solaris, Linux or Windows while increasing their processing power up to eight-fold."

Supermicro Computer, Inc., a premier server solution and motherboard manufacturer in Silicon Valley and the fastest growing high-volume server manufacturer, now expands its product offerings with AMD64 technology-based solutions. "Based on market demand and customer requests, Supermicro has an optimized product line to support single- and Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors in the server market with a broad range of the most advanced AMD64 solutions available today." said Tau Leng, director of marketing, Supermicro.

New innovation at the software level will see accelerated development of innovative solutions that take advantage of this bold leap forward in architecture design. This includes virtualization technology that will capitalize on the recently released “ Pacifica” specifications. More than 300 ISVs and open source software organizations are currently developing to AMD64, which also supports 120 operating systems (OS). Software partners include Computer Associates, IBM, Oracle, RedHat, Sun, SUSE LINUX and VMware and many new OS innovations and applications are already primed for 64-bit, including the latest issue of Solaris from Sun Microsystems and the forthcoming Windows® 64-bit OS from Microsoft. Industries expected to quickly exploit the advantages contained on dual-core AMD64 technology include government, engineering, digital content creation, manufacturing, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and financial services.

Optimized with Dual-Core Processors: 4P, 8-Core and 2P, 4-Core Egenera Processing Blades
Available immediately! Egenera, continuing its tradition of providing uniquely flexible computing solutions, offers both 4P and 2P Egenera Processing Blade configurations incorporating Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors. This means that Egenera is delivering one of the industry’s first 4P/8-core blade servers – and in the same 1U form factor shared by all Egenera Processing Blades.

4P, 8-Core Egenera Processing Blade:
Features Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor Model 875, 1 MB L2 cache per core, 32 GB registered ECC DDR Chipkill memory, 1 GHz HyperTransport technology

2P, 4-Core Egenera Processing Blade:
Features Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor Model 275, 1 MB L2 cache per core, 8 GB registered ECC DDR Chipkill memory, 1 GHz HyperTransport technology

“Egenera continues to be a performance leader in the blade server market,” said Susan Davis, vice president of marketing and product management, Egenera. “Coupled with the BladeFrame’s redundancy and high availability versus other blade servers,our high-performance Processing Blades enable customers to run mission-critical applications on our systems. AMD's dual-core technology extends use of the BladeFrame to applications previously reserved for high-end RISC/UNIX systems."

"We applaud Egenera's decision earlier in the year to join the ranks of industry-leading companies offering AMD Opteron processor-based solutions, so their customers can realize the benefits of dual-core AMD64 technology," said Ben Williams, vice president, Commercial and Server/Workstation Business, AMD. "Egenera is bringing these newest blades to market rapidly and offers a flexible computing system for their customers who require high computational performance."

The Egenera BladeFrame’s unique Processing Area Network (PAN) architecture has been proven in some of the world’s most demanding IT environments. It supports multiple Processing Blade configurations and operating systems simultaneously, enabling your enterprise to automatically align computing resources to application requirements and scale performance dynamically.

Find out how an Egenera utility computing solutions incorporating Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors can simplify your datacenter operations and reduce your infrastructure costs, while positively impacting your application lifecycle>>>

Now Available from HP: Increased Compute Power with ProLiant Solutions based on Dual-Core AMD Opteron Processors
With today’s announcement, HP delivers more compute power in its ProLiant portfolio with the availability of the first two dual-core ProLiant servers featuring new AMD Opteron processors with dual-core technology. The new ProLiant BL45p blade server and the ProLiant DL585 server provide exceptional performance for your demanding x86 applications. “Our HP ProLiant servers, now featuring Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors, continue to offer customers better value with outstanding performance, lower cost of ownership, efficient system management capabilities and help ease their transition to 64-bit computing. HP’s broad portfolio gives customers the ability to choose the best product for their demanding business needs that other vendors can’t offer,” said Paul Miller, vice president of marketing, Industry Standard Servers and BladeSystem, HP.

Looking to consolidate? HP BladeSystem combines servers, storage, power, and interconnects into an advanced management framework, improving collaboration processes. With HP’s introduction of the new ProLiant BL45p featuring
AMD Opteron 800 Series processors with dual-core technology, customers get more compute power for the space, alleviating rack and power constraints faced in data center environments. Designed for enterprise availability and mission-critical applications, the BL45p delivers increased density, SAN storage capability, 32GB memory capacity and four gigabit NICs standard and shares the same infrastructure components as all other p-Class server blades.

If you’re looking for a significant performance advantage, the ProLiant DL585 now supports the new Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor Models 865 and 875 with 1GHz HyperTransport technology, further increasing the performance leadership of this system. The 4P HP ProLiant DL585 combines best-in-class management and outstanding uptime features in a system ideal for large data center deployments.

Concerned about price? HP introduces the second-generation ProLiant DL145, delivering enhancements in compute performance, server design, deployment flexibility and management functionality, all offered at an affordable price. In addition to the new Dual-Core
AMD Opteron processor, memory, I/O and storage technologies, the HP ProLiant DL145 G2 server incorporates a new bezel design complete with unit ID (UID) light diagnostic for easy system identification in large rack-mount environments, a universal 1U rail kit with optional cable management arm, HP ProLiant Lights-Out 100i Remote Management and IPMI 2.0 standard and more.

The HP xw9300 Workstation, enabled for both Single-Core and Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors, delivers the computational performance, visualization power and I/O throughput to give you the time to try new ideas and techniques, work in real time, and spend less time waiting for your results. You can have it all with simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing. With the HP xw9300 you don't have to compromise - existing 32-bit applications run at full performance and you choose to switch to 64-bit when you and your applications are ready. 

Gear Up for Competitive Advantage and High Manageability with AMD64 Dual-Core Solutions from IBM
Competitive advantage is born of innovation--fresh thinking that takes the status quo by surprise. The IBM IntelliStation A Pro 6217¹ doesn’t just push the envelope--it tears it wide open with simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing multiplied by Dual-Core, dual-capable AMD Opteron 200 Series processors with Direct Connect Architecture, leading the industry in standards-based dual-core processor technology. Impressive computational performance is mirrored by a new portfolio of PCI Express™ x16 graphics from ATI, NVIDIA and 3Dlabs, offering a choice of task-tuned 3D solutions certified by leading technical software vendors.

Now you can optimize your 32-bit workflow with key 64-bit applications on your schedule. The IntelliStation A Pro is available with 64-bit Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 WS preinstalled, a compelling price/performance alternative to UNIX-based workstations. For shops standardized on Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Professional, you’ll enjoy robust performance and a straightforward transition to the forthcoming 64-bit Edition.

The AMD64 architecture simply bypasses the primary bottleneck of competitive workstation designs--the front-side bus--opening the floodgate to huge datasets serviced by up to 16GB of PC3200 ECC memory at the speed of the processor. Wrapped in a highly scalable 6-slot x 6-bay acoustically-optimized minitower, the A Pro is the platform of choice for compute-intensive applications from Engineering to Life Sciences, Petroleum Exploration to Digital Content Creation.

“After extensive testing, the solution delivering the highest quality image . . . proved to be a dual AMD Opteron processor-based workstation . . . the IBM IntelliStation A Pro,” says Akiko Ashley, Principal at Luminetik Animation Studios. “This solution solved every complex production issue and bought something very valuable--time. The AMD Opteron architecture drops render times so significantly it gives Luminetik artists the freedom to create without fear of technology limitations.”

With the IntelliStation A Pro workstation, you’ll be joining a long tradition of IBM 64-bit experience. As the first worldwide workstation vendor to embrace the vast potential of the AMD64 architecture, IBM now introduces the second-generation A Pro: refined, re-engineered, and real-world proven in automotive MCAD, drug discovery, seismic exploration, film production and more. Designed for benchmark-busting performance and bullet-proof reliability, the IBM IntelliStation A Pro meets the most demanding workstation requirements--yours. ¹Available June, 2005

Now available with Dual-Core
AMD Opteron processors Models 265, 270, and 275, the IBM eServer 326 server excels at the compute-intensive applications used in Linux clustering at a cost-effective price. This highly manageable, ultra-thin 1U, rack-optimized platform features up to two Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors, providing high-performance computing for the most demanding applications.

The e326 offers state-of-the-art-processors, large memory capacity, high-memory bandwidth, and high-bandwidth PCI-X ® buses to power through core-intensive, memory-intensive and I/O-intensive applications alike.

Explore IBM’s Single-Core and Dual-Core server and workstation solutions based on the AMD Opteron processor>>>

Sun Fire V40z Server Powered by Dual-Core AMD Opteron Processors Doubles Performance Over Competitive Single-Core
Sun's enterprise-class Sun Fire V40z server just got faster. Now powered by four Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors, you can get more than 2.5X the performance of competitive single-core servers.

The highly dense, 3RU, Sun Fire V40z server powered by Dual-Core
AMD Opteron processors is an ideal solution for data center consolidation and deployment. With enormous compute power and industry-leading performance, you can reduce the number of systems needed in your data center. Minimizing the hardware in your data center helps you reduce the time required to deploy systems, helps reduce overall data center complexity and helps reduce total cost of ownership. In short, you save money and optimize system availability.

What else is in store with the Sun Fire V40z server? This Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor powered solution offers you the flexibility to run various operating systems including Solaris, Linux and Windows. The Solaris 10 OS is optimized for the multithreading requirements of dual-core processors, providing near linear scalability and sizable performance gains for existing applications running on the new dual-core Sun Fire V40z server. This allows customers to run more applications faster and improve service levels, while simultaneously cutting operating expenses. Innovative Solaris 10 technologies like Solaris Containers, Predictive Self Healing and DTrace, are multi-core aware and designed to take advantage of the AMD64 architecture. Solaris Containers, for instance, is an innovative virtualization technology that improves efficiency through greater system utilization.

Learn more about the advantages of server consolidation/ virtualization, the Solaris 10 OS and the Sun Fire V40z server, now equipped with Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors>>>

Your First Look: Supermicro Unveils Dual-Core
AMD Opteron Processor-based Solutions
Designed for performance, the combination of the A+ H8DA8 serverboard and SC823S chassis is optimized for your business critical applications including database, Internet, web hosting, as well as server clustering for HPC-C environments. Featuring AMD-8131™ and AMD-8111™ chipsets, this new serverboard/chassis solution is powered by Dual-Core
AMD Opteron 200 Series processors. Maximizing on price/performance and reliability, it features up to 16/16/32GB DDR400/333/266 memory support, a 500-watt redundant power supply with I 2C, and up to six hot-swappable SCSI drives. Sophisticated management options such as IPMI 2.0 and SuperDoctor III are included to ensure this Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor-based solution helps offer you simple configuration, deployment and management.

Also newly available from Supermicro, comes the A+ H8DCE workstation motherboard leveraging nVidia’s nForce Pro chipset optimized for highly intensive graphics applications. When combined with the SC743T-645 chassis, this combination becomes an excellent video server, a rendering machine, or a high-end workstation. Powered by Dual-Core AMD Opteron 200 Series processors, the H8DCE also supports the latest Scalable Link Interface (SLI) technology that takes advantage of dual PCI-Express x16 graphics bandwidth for amazing graphics output. Dual gigabit Ethernet and 8-port SATA provide scalable, high-bandwidth networking and outstanding storage capacity, while the super-quiet 645-watt power supply provides plenty of power for your most demanding applications.

Optimized as a 2-way performance system, the A+ H8DAR-8 serverboard utilizes 1GHz of HyperTransport technology bandwidth to execute complicated algorithms without any critical bottlenecks. Additional features include support up to 16/16/32GB of ECC DDR400/333/266 memory, two Gigabit LAN ports and PCI-X-100 expansion. Ensuring system stability and availability, the H8DAR-8 is cooled by an SC813S-500C chassis which provides superior cooling via dual heavy-duty 10cm blowers. Powered by Dual-Core AMD Opteron 200 Series processors, this robust and sleek system provides build-as-you-grow scalability for Internet, ISP, and application computing.

Looking for a high-end 2-way server storage solution? The H8DAR-T serverboard with SC813T+ chassis offers compelling price and performance and is based on Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors 200 Series processors with AMD-8131 and AMD-8111 chipsets. This ultra-dense 1U solution simplifies the means of data storage by supporting up to four independent channels of hot-swappable Serial-ATA hard drives in a slim design. With optional Adaptec 2020SA RAID card, the system is able to perform RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 for more advanced storage functionalities. Connectivity via dual gigabit LAN ports and expansion via PCI-X-133/100 nicely complement this server’s high-performance capabilities, providing you with top-of-the-line performance for data storage, NAS, and server-clustering applications.

Download Supermicro's Product Fact Sheet featuring recently introduced solutions based on Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors>>>

32- & 64-bit Software Application Support for AMD64: More Than 1300 Solutions to Meet Your Needs
The AMD64 Ecosystem has been updated to reflect the latest in software support for AMD64-based technology, including
AMD Opteron and AMD Athlon™ 64 processors. One of the major additions to this recent update is the availability of Windows XP Pro x64 and Windows Server 2003 x64 operating systems, offering users  mature, stable 64-bit operating system with solid support for dual-core processors from AMD. The availability of this market-leading 64-bit operating system is expected to fuel the growth of 64-bit applications.

The AMD64 Ecosystem also shows strong growth in IT Infrastructure applications, particularly in the areas of Web and application serving, system and storage management, and virtualization software. In the Scientific and Engineering category, the migration to 64-bit code continues with segments such as EDA and CAE offering you 64-bit versions of their most popular applications.

Finally, we see 64-bit applications spanning across the product lines of various Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). For example, IBM expanded its AMD64 software support, adding 64-bit versions of Websphere and its companion middleware tools to its already popular 64-bit version of IBM DB2. The same trend is evident with Microsoft and Sun, who are adding AMD64 support to their lines of server management applications.

Make the most of the growing list of software applications that support AMD64 technology>>>

Dual-Core:  Revolutionizing Data Center Performance – Minimizing Your IT Expenditures
Are you faced with demands for increased performance in your data center today with the confinements of yesterday's budget?  Performance gains on new technology are often over-hyped and it's becoming more challenging to determine where to invest with server technology – and we understand!

As we told you last month, we’ve teamed up with HP to bring you ongoing online events designed to address common concerns in our industry today. Attend our next eSeminar May 3, 2005 to learn more about the right server strategy for your organization. Join us, along with HP to discuss the details of the newly introduced AMD dual-core processor technology. Experts from AMD and HP will also be describing new levels of application performance to help grow your business efficiently and with confidence.

In addition to learning more about the details of newly introduced Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor-based solutions from HP, the May 3rd interactive Webinar will highlight:

• Details of the new dual-core processors and platforms, and where they may fit into your environment
• Benefits and opportunities for your data center using dual-core processors
• Benchmarks and specifics on performance with dual-core; solution stacks and applications that gain the most benefit from dual-core processors
• Details of OS and application licensing
• Performance-per-power consumption advantages

And when you attend the live Webinar on May 3rd and complete the post-event survey, you’ll be entered to win an Apple iPod from HP with a 20GB hard drive and a free pack of three 4G skins!

Submit your registration now and tune in on May 3rd to learn more about server strategies that may have a positive impact on your business>>>

Help Make Your Enterprise More Efficient: Get to the Heart of Your Data Center
Prepare to explore new solutions designed to overcome escalating power, space, heat and cost barriers associated with your data center in our upcoming on-demand Web-based event titled “AMD in the Enterprise”.  Premiering on May 10, 2005, the “AMD in the Enterprise” eSeminar, first in a series that will continue throughout the year, will feature Hector Ruiz, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMD answering the question: “Why AMD in the Enterprise?” 

Key executives from AMD will address the impact multi-core technology and Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors will bring to the enterprise landscape.  Tune in and hear from Dreamworks’ Chief Technology Officer, Ed Leonard, as he discusses how AMD64-based solutions fit into one of the world’s leading creative enterprises and assist in addressing the increasing demands on computing resources.

Mark your calendar for May 10, 2005 and be sure to read future issues of AMD Opteron Solutions for more details and registration information regarding our next online event.

Register now and learn more about the May 10th on-demand seminar focused on making your enterprise more efficient>>>

Your Business Stands to Benefit: Explore Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and AMD64
When we took performance to the next level with 64-bit computing, we collaborated closely with Microsoft in the development of the upcoming Windows x64 operating systems.

The collaboration continues and today you’re invited to attend our joint Web cast with Microsoft where we’ll be exploring the combination of Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and
AMD Opteron processors for servers and workstations. Join us on April 26, 2005 at 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US & Canada) when we will discuss the technology and the business value of 64-bit Windows powered by AMD64 technology. Attend this free Web cast and get a closer look inside our groundbreaking Direct Connect Architecture.

The 2004 AMD Annual Report and Corporate Overview

Our customers inspire, we innovate, and together we succeed. “Putting customers first” is one of our core values and is the foundation on which we built our 2004 successes. As a result, AMD is delivering superior customer-centric solutions for a growing portfolio of leading customers in all of the markets we serve. AMD has earned recognition for leading the industry to x86 pervasive 64-bit computing; in establishing MirrorBit™ technology as a disruptive technology in the Flash memory industry; and by responding to the needs of a new tech-capable generation of consumers through our 50x15 Initiative. The results are impressive, and a promise of things to come. Entering 2005, AMD has the strongest technology portfolio in its 36-year history, large, global markets and industry-leading, world-class design and manufacturing.

Learn about the significant accomplishments in 2004, building the momentum for future results>>>

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