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To: dale_laroy who wrote (59420)	10/20/2001 2:06:33 PM
From: pgerassi	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 275872

Dear Dale: Wrong! Itanium will have a harder time displacing existing systems than Hammer. Hammer is the way many OEMs have weaned customers off older platforms. First you make a CPU have both the old and new modes without any reduction in the performance of the older mode (better if you increase it). The new mode is used because of its benefits (faster performance and larger resources). Over time, the new mode is used in almost all apps. Then the older mode is deprecated with lots of advance notice (at least half of the apps already converted before you say anything, but you could stall the speed ups in the older mode). Finally, you remove the older mode (hey no one uses it anymore, it's too slow, restrictive and removing it will speed the current stuff up). Now you have converted everyone over and there is no hard feelings because everyone wanted to every step of the way. IA-64's method drags most kicking and screaming. X86-64's method entices with a rolling table of deserts. Now lets look at the players. IA-64 has one and soon to be two versions. They both require lots of glue logic and large, expensive PSs and HSFs. They are also very expensive. They also require brand new software, platforms and training. And they are only applicable to the large server environment. X86-64 has two versions soon and could have many more. The Clawhammer has two HT ports and either a single or dual DDR channel. It can be used with no glue login in 1 and 2 way systems. Sledgehammer will have 3 HT ports, dual DDR channels and either one or two cores. It can be used in 2, 4 and 8 way systems (although 16 ways and up are not that hard). Taphammer (sample mobile processor name) with one HT port and single DDR channel. And Finally Airhammer (sample large SMP server CPU) with four HT ports and dual DRR and dual core (16 way and up). Few changes in software, new platform, but little retraining. Available in the full range of market types. Takes server performance/price ratios to new heights. Itanium and its derivatives must get far better than they are now or they will find themselves in the trash heap of "great on paper" failures. Pete