In the computing world there has been a big move over the last 5 years from single core to multicore processors – originally you had 1 core that went at a certain frequency and the way to get more performance was to get that processor to run at a higher frequency, this caused an issue late in the Pentium 4 range where Processors were hitting 4 Ghz or so and not being able to go any faster.
This was when we first saw the emergence of dual core processors
- initially AMD releasing the first dual core for the consumer
market, followed closely by Intel's Pentium D range. From here the
engineering logic was simple: If 2 cores are better than 1, then 4
cores must be better than 2, and the Quadcore family was born. The
Quad series - particularly Intels I range of processors (the entry
level I3, the intermediate I5 and the gaming/enthusiast level I7)
have been the standard for the average Consumer in terms of price
and performance.
However in the server world there have been rumblings - First
the good folks at AMD released the Bulldozer series - because if 4
cores are great then 8 cores must be AWESOME! And the Bulldozer
series of chips really did live up to its name, setting the world
record for the fastest clock speed earlier this year - hitting
8.429 Ghz. This is compared to a typical processor running on
2.6 Ghz on 4 cores (giving a total of 10.4 Ghz across all cores),
this is 8.2 on 8 cores (giving a total of 65.6 Ghz across all
cores) this is like comparing a Honda Civic to a Lambourgini. The
story doesn't end there - a month or 2 after the record was set, a
Taiwanese man by the name of Andre Young beat the record using the
same Bulldozer series chip getting it up to 8.46 Ghz. (http://www.geekosystem.com/amd-bulldozer-846gh/)
So where to now?
Well if 8 cores is awesome then 16 cores must be
awe-inspiring!!
http://www.geekosystem.com/amd-16-core-microprocessor/
That's right - AMD have announced a 16 core server processor
which is being aimed at the server market (which traditionally
Intel have dominated). AMD are citing some pretty impressive stats
on the new chip - compared to its older Opteron 6200 series - they
are showing in some areas 80-70% improvement. They are also citing
that the chip has been designed with cloud computing in mind -
running lots of virtual servers requires some serious computing
power and by cramming as much power as they can into 1 chip the
idea here is to enable companies to take advantage of the cloud way
of thinking.
Obviously here at MHA this is good news - if the second biggest
processor manufacturer is building chips with the goal of helping
businesses into the cloud it can mean that finally the concept of
cloud computing as opposed to the traditional onsite server setup
is starting to sink in and take hold in the bigger computing
companies as the way of the future.
This really only leaves one question:
If 16 cores is awe-inspiring - how long before someone unveils a
32 core processor???
(we are looking at you Intel)