Must Read: Google Glass 2 wish list: Allow us to turn it off

Topic: Servers

Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

Summary: Intel doesn't do wimpy chips and made its name pushing performance. But just in case this crazy microserver thing takes off Intel wants you to know it has a master plan.

Larry Dignan

By for Between the Lines |

Intel doesn't do wimpy chips and made its name pushing performance. But just in case this crazy ARM-based microserver thing takes off Intel wants you to know it has a master plan.

In a briefing Tuesday, Intel executives rolled out its plan for microservers, small low-power units that are used in large-scale environments deployed by the likes of Facebook. The plan: Release new Xeons that are built for microservers.

ARM Holdings has been very clear that it wants to take a chunk of the server market---specifically Intel's piece of the pie. Intel, however, has worked with Seamicro, Dell, Supermicro and others to show that its chips can be used as low-power server processors too.

Now the Xeon roadmap includes microservers, which are expected to be about 10 percent of the overall server market in the next four to five years.

Here's a look at Intel's money slide from its microserver talk:

Intel also launched a microserver lab and brought out Gio Coglitore, director of Facebook Labs, to talk microservers. According to Coglitore, Facebook has been experimenting with microservers and may plot a big deployment in late 2011 or 2012.

Now Intel would argue that high powered chips are the best choice in most cases. A Google paper also makes that case. But if the market wants wimpy, Intel will do that too.

Related:

Topics: Servers, Hardware, Intel, Networking, Processors

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

15 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • SOHO's, SMB's and enthusiasts will benefit from this

    I've often said that there is a huge market for SFF servers for SMB's and SOHO businesses. Home enthusiasts looking for a better-than-a-NAS device are also well suited to a full-featured server computer for housing all their home media. I know that we've had a great success selling Mini-ITX/DTX server systems based on SuperMicro's Atom boards. I'd like to see the server platforms include more capable (but power-friendly) server-grade processors. One application is for a media streaming server to do video transcoding. A lot of current processors will do this extremely well (think AMD Fusion). The big problem is that there aren't a lot of server-centric motherboard options with features like BMC, dual GbE, and no audio, along with Windows Server validation.
    Joe_Raby
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

      @Joe_Raby
      A very good and informative article indeed . It helps me a lot to enhance my knowledge, I really like the way the writer presented his views.
      <a href="http://www.venderecasa.info">vendere casa</a> , bye bye!!!
      jackfolla
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

    This is really great. As a home office worker, I could really use this and run my systems smoothly.
    Ram U
    Reply Vote

  • There will be a HUGE market for servers that can do the same job with less

    watts, but, take longer to do it. That said, a lot of work loads are time critical, and companies will be willing to throw more watts at a workload so that individual jobs complete faster.
    DonnieBoy
    Reply Vote

  • And, no reason to call them micro servers, they can be MASSIVE, they just

    use less watts for the same throughput, but, of course individual jobs will take longer to complete.
    DonnieBoy
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

    Excellent! The single biggest step one can take in a data center to improve overall energy consumption is to use the lowest power processor to get the job done. This is Step One of a ten-step Energy Logic road map for data center energy efficiency.

    Congratulations to Intel for getting on board with the concept!

    http://www.emerson.com/edc/page/Energy-Logic-Actions.aspx
    jpouchet
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

    Microservers are meh, its better to have large powerful servers than a bunch of weak ones
    Jimster480
    Reply Vote

    • Not always

      @Jimster480

      I would say that redundancy is easier on a hardware level with more cheap chips than fewer more-expensive ones. Also, there's the argument that virtualization is just another form of vendor lock-in.
      Joe_Raby
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

        I would say that redundancy is easier on a hardware level with more cheap chips than fewer more-expensive ones. Also, there's the argument that virtualization is just another form of vendor lock-in. <a href="http://www.affordabledegrees.com/ADA/mp.asp">online masters degree</a> | <a href="http://www.affordabledegrees.com/ADA/ap.asp">online associate degree</a> | <a href="http://www.affordabledegrees.com/ADA/dp.asp">online doctorate degree</a> | <a href="http://www.affordabledegrees.com/ADA/hp.asp">diploma high school</a>
        jordanhawk
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

    Having previously used some Small Form Factor Dell 1U servers in the past, there is a huge potential market for SFF server that fit in a standard wallmount comms cabinet, with a small similar sized UPS protecting it.

    Same size as a Switch, 2-4 SAS 1Tb drives, Dual NIC, a handful of USB ports, HDMI outpout. Little else would be needed.
    neilpost
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

    I also desire to signal in your RSS feeds. Thank you as soon as once again and maintain up the great operate!<a href="http://nccma.com">nccma</a> <a href="http://coolerkings.com">cooler</a>
    MACKENZI
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

    I used to be more than happy to seek out this internet-site.I wanted to thanks in your time for this glorious read!! I positively enjoying each little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you weblog post. this thread is amazing i like your work and i appreciate you that you have share a useful stuff thanks for sharing <a href="http://the-ishop.com">the i shop</a> <a href="http://abatwa.com">abatwa</a>
    MARAGARET
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

    I used to be more than happy to seek out this internet-site.I wanted to thanks in your time for this glorious read!! I positively enjoying each little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you weblog post.Bookmarking now thanks please consider a follow up post.<a href="http://power28.com">power</a> <a href="http://sagesinc.com">sa</a> <a href="http://iloveshoping.net">shop</a>
    RHIANNONA
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

    I think the representation of this article is actually superb one. This is my first visit to your site. Thanks a lot and keep sharing the information. Keep updating the information for all of us. Thanks ZDNet Government was launched as the brand's first industry vertical, with a mission to cater to IT professionals in the public secto I agree with your post. However, do you have any sources I can cite for my paper <a href="http://easy-wheels.com/">wheel</a> <a href="http://pbcars.com/">car</a> <a href="http://com69.net">com</a> <a href="http://cadburry.com">bury</a>
    SATURNINA
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Intel builds its microserver, ARM hedges

    Well welcome, hopefully you can become a vital member of the community and really help to push far ahead of google. Which Im sure the development team would love. This will of course earn you alot points too and get you on the leaders board.<a href="http://vintagesnapbackhatsfan.com">z</a><a href="http://bestsolidstatedrive.net">d</a><a href="http://b2days.com/">n</a><a href="http://b2wp.com/">e</a><a href="http://buy-sell-cheap.com/">t</a> <a href="http://sellcheap.net/">t</a><a href="http://newsoftwarepc.com/">h</a><a href="http://bestlaptoppcreviews.com/">a</a><a href="http://buyfurniturefreeshipping.com/">n</a><a href="http://cheapclothingstoresonline.com/">k</a> Im not sure i come to an agreement with you on every level, howevor it absolutely was a good posting, many thanks for taking the time to put up your ideas.
    TOCCAR
    Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close