INTC--New Intel I/O Chipset Triples Speed of Handling Data in Internet Infrastructure
First Implementation of Intel XScale Microarchitecture Achieves Breakthrough Performance
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 27, 2000--Intel Corporation today unveiled a new chipset for ``input/output'' (I/O) processing applications--its first based on its recently introduced Intel® XScale(TM) Microarchitecture--that triples the processing capabilities of the advanced Internet storage systems and Internet infrastructure required of next-generation e-Business, data base and other Internet applications.
The new Intel® IOP310 I/O Processor Chipset combines the new Intel 80200 processor, which is based on the XScale Microarchitecture, with the Intel 80312 I/O Companion Chip, which coordinates peripheral functions, such as memory and physical I/O connections. The new chipset helps enable higher performance while producing less heat, which helps developers produce more compact Internet infrastructure equipment that operates at breakthrough levels.
The Intel IOP310 I/O Processor Chipset achieved the performance breakthrough with the first implementation of the recently introduced Intel XScale Microarchitecture at its core. The Intel XScale Microarchitecture is a new high-performance, low-power technology that will eventually reach speeds of up to one GHz while drawing as little as 1.5 watts of power. Low power consumption is an important characteristic for builders of advanced Internet infrastructure equipment because products can be built much smaller and stacked closer together.
Mylex, an IBM company and a leading supplier of RAID storage controllers, plans to use the new Intel I/O processor to enhance its product line. ``For us to achieve breakthroughs in performance, we turned to Intel and the Intel IOP310 I/O Processor Chipset with Intel XScale Microarchitecture,'' said Eric Herzog, vice president of marketing for Mylex. ``We anticipate these groundbreaking new technologies will give us the raw horsepower that we need to push our award-winning RAID controller product line to unparalleled new heights of performance.''
The Intel IOP310 I/O Processor Chipset is the newest member of the Intel® Internet Exchange(TM) Architecture (IXA) family, an end-to-end line of high-performance, flexible and scalable hardware and software building blocks enabling faster development, more cost-effective deployment, and easy upgradability of data storage, network and communications systems.
``The Intel IOP310 I/O Processor Chipset joins the comprehensive line of Intel IXA building blocks aimed at keeping communications moving in sync with the ever-increasing demands of the Internet,'' said Tom Franz, vice president and general manager of Intel's Network Processing Group. ``Intel Internet Exchange Architecture encompasses products that range from Internet networking to data storage to end-user applications, together aimed at providing a silicon-and-software environment that makes development of products quick and easy.''
Technical Innovation
With the Intel XScale Microarchitecture at its core, the new chipset provides as much as 300 percent greater I/O performance for advanced Internet storage applications. In addition, the Intel 80200 Processor will be offered at four speeds, ranging from 333 MHz to 733 MHz, while consuming only a little more than a watt of power when operating at the maximum rate. These options significantly increase equipment designers' flexibility in balancing performance and power. Initially, the greatest benefit will be seen in Internet storage technologies, such as Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), storage area networks (SAN) and network attached storage (NAS).
``There is a rapidly growing demand for greater performance from the Internet infrastructure for applications that depend on high-performance I/O throughput from SAN- and NAS-based storage subsystems,'' said David Hill, research director, storage management for the Aberdeen Group. ``In particular, there's a critical need for I/O technologies that can not only keep up with the increasing bandwidth requirements of e-Business, but also help equipment manufacturers speed up development of the next-generation Internet infrastructure to meet that demand.''
The Intel 80312 I/O Companion Chip was designed specifically to be paired with the Intel 80200 Processor. It contains a proven set of validated peripheral components to reduce design time, including a 64-bit PCI-to-PCI bridge, an SDRAM controller and a high-speed application accelerator unit for RAID parity generation.
The design of the Intel IOP310 chipset allows equipment makers to quickly migrate products based on previous Intel I/O processors. It is code compatible with the Intel StrongArm(1) SA110 processor. The Intel XScale Microarchitecture is compliant with version 5TE of the ARM(1) architecture. In addition, the 80312 I/O Companion Chip has peripheral compatibility with the Intel IOP303 I/O Processor, the established workhorse of the Intel I/O Processor product line.
The chipset also will be supported by a number of real-time operating systems (RTOS), including IxWorks(1) from Wind River Systems and embedded Linux(1) from several vendors.
The Intel IOP310 I/O Processor Chipset is currently available for sampling and will be in full production with speeds up to 600 MHz during the first quarter of 2001. Price of the Intel IOP310 I/O Processor Chipset in quantities of 10,000 ranges from $70 for the 333 MHz version to $93 for the 600 MHz version. The 733 MHz version will follow shortly with pricing announced then.
About Intel
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, network and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom. |
