Sun: UltraSparc IV+ doubles server oomph
Published: October 4, 2004, 9:00 PM PDT
(http://news.com.com/Sun+UltraSparc+IV+doubles+server+oomph/2100-1006_3-5396059.html?tag=cd.top}
From the article:"...The UltraSparc IV+, like its predecessors, is built by Texas Instruments, but it uses a new process. The features on UltraSparc IV measure 130 nanometers, or 130 billionths of a meter, but the IV+ is built with 90-nanometer features. That allows more circuitry to be packed onto the chip--an increase from 60 million to nearly 300 million, Greenley said.
Most of that new circuitry is memory. Where the UltraSparc IV had 16MB of cache memory packaged separately from the chip--8MB for each processor core--the IV+ will have 2MB directly on the chip shared by the two cores and 32MB packaged separately, Greenley said. On-chip cache is faster than cache packaged separately..."
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"...In addition, the new prefetch pathways for instructions and the existing pathways for data are protected by error correction technology that can detect when a one has been flipped to a zero or vice-versa.
Such "bit flipping" problems worsen as chip features shrink because a single cosmic ray can flip two pathways' bits simultaneously, an effect that can escape the attention of error-correction technology only looking for a single flip. "A single cosmic ray has potential to flip multiple bits because (the pathways) are so close together," but Sun sidesteps the problem by making sure error detection systems check pathways that are relatively far apart, Greenley said.
Current UltraSparc III and IV systems using Uniboard processor boards can be upgraded with IV+ chips, Greenley said...."
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It appears that SUNW has a good transition strategy. From the above article:"...Sun has adopted a dual-chip strategy, warming up to x86 in general and Opteron especially. And although Sun canceled its UltraSparc V, it continues to develop new Sparc models code-named Niagara and Rock while relying on a partnership with Fujitsu for other high-end Sparc models.
Sun's long-term plans extend four years into the future. Niagara servers are due to arrive in 2006, as are systems from the Fujitsu collaboration. Rock servers are due in 2008. ..."
There are options available for new customers, migration and upgrade paths for current custmers and several exciting new products planned through 2008. Let's hope our management stays focused on this migration strategy, allocates sufficient resources to get the new products tested and out the door and customers find the new Solaris OS superior (w/ their per seat licensing scheme) to Linux or MS.
They will need to work on keeping their expense side in balance with their slow growing sales in 2005 but perhaps in 2006 we should see a pick up in systems as the new Niagara product hits the street.
EKS |
