JF, it looks like IBM's "Regatta" project will be a union of their POWER4 architecture and Sequent's NUMA technology. As you might know already, POWER4 is based on four dual-core CPUs on one 5x5" behemoth module. A coworker remarked last year that this module, which is effectively eight CPU cores in one package, will form the building block of ultra high-end systems, especially the 32-CPU Regatta.
Personally, I'm not too worried about POWER4, except that it might compete against some other companies creating 8-way and above Itanium servers. Sequent's NUMA technology has always been used in very low-volume, high cost, and proprietary systems (even relative to 4-way servers). IBM adds POWER4 to the NUMA technology, and they should make a killing in their market segment. But it's not a very large market by far.
I wonder what Rob Young has to say about Regatta, since it looks to be more of a competitor to high-end, low-volume Alpha servers than Itanium (in "standard high-volume" form).
Just my two cents ...
Tenchusatsu |
