New Building Blocks Reduce Racks and Costs

Slashdot It! ntel’s dual- and quad-core technology is making it easier for system builders to construct rack mount servers that save space in a data center and deliver high performance and better performance per watt across every price point.

For applications where cost is a key consideration, Intel has developed the S3000PT -- a purpose-built, small form factor server board for high-performance and high-density computing. This powerful, energy-efficient board is based on the Dual-Core Intel® Xeon processor 3000 series and is compatible with the quad-core processor, codenamed “Kentsfield.” The small 5.9”x13” form factor is well suited for personal clusters for individuals and workgroups as well as high- density datacenters such as ISPs and Web hosting. For more information go to www.intel.com/go/hpcservers. Ciara Technologies is using the S3000PT in their Nexxus 4000 personal cluster which is targeted at researchers and engineers. The cluster delivers up to 340 gigaflops of performance in the size of a desktop PC and starts at under $12,000. For more information on the Nexxus 4000 go to www.vxtech.com.

Supermicro, Intel and Mellanox have developed the world's first high-volume compact server board for high-end, dual processor servers. This high-density, energy-efficient board, codenamed "Atoka," supports the Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5300 series and the Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 5100 series. A key advantage of this new form factor is the flexibility to configure twin boards with quad-core processors in a 1U configuration, which essentially quadruples (16 cores and 32 threads) computing density. Atoka includes InfiniBand networking and dual gigabit Ethernet to provide exceptional I/O capabilities, making it ideal for the development of workgroup, departmental and enterprise clusters targeted across a wide range of industry segments and application requirements. For more information, visit www.supermicro.com/products.

Tyan, Intel, Mellanox and Microsoft have developed the next-generation personal supercomputer, Typhoon 600, based on the Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5300 series. Typhoon 600 is a turnkey system that delivers 256 gigaflops of performance and only requires a 110V/15 amp standard wall outlet. The system is designed for engineers and scientists who need the computational horsepower of a supercomputer, yet in the size of a PC. The system starts at $15,000 and will generally be available early next year from Tyan. For more information go to www.tyanpsc.com/products/products.html.