AMD's Opteron spreads its enterprise wings

IT'S BEEN THREE years since AMD launched the Opteron processor. When it comes to the pace of technological change in the hardware world this period of time may be regarded as an eon.

But for those that buy client-server platforms, three years isn't long at all. Because platform decisions are expensive enough to warrant a three-year-plus life expectancy. Suppliers of enterprise hardware understand that as well. So when one sees the steady improvement that AMD has made at companies that supply enterprise-class technology, the progress that the smaller chip company has made is remarkable.

AMD makes progress at Tyan
Tyan's Web site revealed that the IT vendor's AMD Opteron-based solutions had made inroads into the company's processor based solutions.

The IT vendor had 17 socket 940 Opteron based motherboards, which were three short of its Xeon based counterparts. That certainly wasn't the case in the Athlon MP era.

Tyan's Transport barebones server platforms showed that the company had eleven Opteron based offerings to only five Netburst based counterparts - one Xeon, three P4, and one P4/PD based solution. It should also be noted that the IT vendor's Transport product page did not show any Intel processor based 2U or pedestal offerings - those were all Opteron powered.

Looking at the company's rackmount chassis solutions as well, Tyan had two Opteron-based solutions to one Xeon and one P4 based product.

Tyan's network appliance line-up revealed Intel Netburst dominance. Its two motherboards and two Transport servers were Intel processor based. One wonders how long it will be before AMD Opteron based product makes an appearance there as well.

Tyan though does have an Intel P4/Celeron motherboard page that showed a total of 14 offerings available. The IT vendor's Athlon page showed just one socket 939 system board. But the company's Opteron motherboard page did show two socket 939 Opteron solutions, one of which was the same as the Athlon 64 board just mentioned.

So Tyan's P4/Celeron based motherboard offerings shows Intel in a stronger light. But that shouldn't detract from the gains that AMD has no doubt worked hard to achieve.

It's not just Tyan
Arima Computer Corporation has an IT group dedicated to producing workstation and server motherboards and bare bones systems for the enterprise space. The company's Web site showed that the IT group's socket 940 AMD Opteron based motherboard offerings outnumbered its Intel Xeon EM64T based counterparts nine to six.

In the company's barebones server department, if the phase out products are ignored a solitary Opteron solution remains.

When Arima's P4/PD based line-up was looked at there were two solutions available. The company didn't have any socket 939 Opteron based product.

Considering where AMD came from with its server and workstation processor solutions it is no mean feat what the chip maker has managed to achieve at this company as well.

Supermicro's Opteron offerings come into full bloom
Supermicro is arguably the pre-eminent company that sells motherboards and barebones solutions into the enterprise space. The company was an Intel only shop until last year's introduction of its AMD Opteron based product. The company had a range of AMD64 based offerings that were only being offered to its OEM customers. Supermicro chose wisely to widen its customer base by making its AMD64 based solutions available to everyone via its channel partners as well.

For AMD, Supermicro must have been one of the toughest companies to get onboard the AMD64 train. Many of our readers will remember the many denials that Supermicro made over the years that AMD processor based solutions just weren't going to happen. Well, AMD64 technology is now part of the company's strategic planning. So what ever AMD64 plans Supermicro has should be of interest when they come to pass.

Intel dropped by Sun?
Three examples were given where AMD made inroads into companies that were heavily or completely dominated by Intel processor based solutions.

Intel processor based solutions were sold by Sun Microsystems. Bur no such solutions could be found on the company's Web site. AMD64 appears to now rule the x86 roost.

Additionally, Sun hasn't shown any reserve with its AMD Opteron based system ads, which means Intel processor based solutions don't come out smelling of roses.

Intel not in the x86 game at Newisys
Newisys was a company launched on the back of AMD64 technology. It's interesting to note that the company hasn't included in its Web line-up to date any x86 Intel processor based solutions. The company though has two storage products that use the chip giant's XScale processor.

Newisys currently offers three AMD64 based servers - two 2-way and one 4-way.

When Sun launched its AMD64 based servers, the two-way and four-way offerings were rebadged Newisys product.

Will Intel escape the burning fire?
At the Intel developer forum the chip giant made known via hardware review sites some "specific" performance numbers for its upcoming desktop processor (Conroe) which is still several months away from launch. Intel also had an AMD Athlon 64 platform to hand for "comparative" purposes. The "selected" tests showed that the Athlon 64 got severely spanked.

Intel must be seriously concerned to have uncharacteristically revealed benchmark numbers months before the Conroe processor is launched. Also bare in mind that the chip giant's execution record hasn't been stellar at all.

If Intel doesn't deliver this time around will the stretched forth necks of those accountable be forced onto the executioner's block? If not, how many more execution failings will pass before the executioner's ax makes its mark?

What should be clear is that Intel's bacon has passed the marination stage. The skewered meat awaits the open fire. To avoid the licking flames Conroe and its related technologies will have to arrive and perform as advertised.

Everything still to play for
The gains that AMD Opteron based solutions have made at companies that provide such product - and it's a lot more than the examples given - is evidence that AMD64 technology has spread its enterprise wings. But will Intel's upcoming processor revamp clip the fledgling's wings? Probably not if what industry commentators have said about Intel's ability to catch up comes to pass.

I said in a June 2003 piece: "If Intel's 90 nm Netburst products don't pack anything more substantive than more cache and higher frequency, then from where I'm sitting, Opteron's server performance lead could be maintained for at least the next year and through the 90 nm generation." That prediction is currently being fulfilled.

An industry source revealed to the INQUIRER in March 2004 that Intel would take at least 18 months to catch AMD up. Two years are up and it's evident that the chip giant is still behind. AMD's lead sales man Richard Henri said in a September interview last year that AMD still had a two year technology lead over Intel.

In October last year, the chip giant's latest execution failings with the platform and processor designs that it had planned to bring to market made analyst Nathan Brookwood conclude that Intel wouldn't be able to deliver a server processor with an onboard memory controller until 2009. He went on to say that means "little likelihood that Intel will be able to claim performance leadership."

If Brookwood's assessment proves accurate, AMD's performance and technology lead in the x86 server space will now continue for at least another three years. That would mean AMD would have worn the x86 server performance crown for a staggering six years.

If the above comes to pass would anybody seriously believe that Dell would still be an Intel only shop? Or that Apple would still be selling its Xserve servers with Intel inside - assuming of course that Apple decides to sell that product with an Intel processor.

What should be apparent in the x86 enterprise space is that everything is still to be played for. With Intel in disarray a Dell-AMD Opteron announcement can only be a matter of time. µ

See Also
Supermicro goes overboard on AMD Opteron
Sun launches "in-your-face" media campaign for Opteron server
AMD Opteron: Does it measure up
Intel "will take 18 months" to catch AMD up
Intel will take two years to catch up to AMD
Ghost of Timna dead duck haunts Intel's futures