AMD demonstrates Fusion APUs

AMD gave its first public demonstration of a working Fusion Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) at Computex 2010:
 

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/computers/comput...usion-apus/2701

Another article:

http://www.hardwarezone.com/tech-news/view/41821

Video:

Cray and the New Opteron 6100 Series

This morning at around 1:00AM Manila Time, I was able to join a webinar entitled Cray Boosts Performance with New 12-core AMD Opteron 6100 Series Processor", which was hosted by Linux Magazine.

Presented by David Wallace of Cray Inc. and Travis Justilian of AMD (should have been Joshua Mora). The presentation is about Cray (XT6 Production Supercomputers) utilizing the new AMD Opterons for more performance/MFLOPS, as well as efficiency for a greener computing, and more.

Indeed the AMD features now more cores (up to 12), more cache (12MB), more bandwidth (via DDR3-1333), and more efficient (45nm). Live polls were carried out during the webinar, and about 53% of the audience uses Opteron-based solutions.

Before the webinar, I first browsed for info on the new Opteron 6100 Series. I quickly saw the "Enhanced integrated memory controller supporting four channels of DDR3 memory". Initially I was thinking about quad-channel memory, but then I as I further dig through, Magny-Cours (the codename of the new opteron processors) are actually two 6-core istanbuls in one package. So applying AMD's medicine against intel years back, this is "not a true and native 12-core CPU" but two 6-core CPUs (12 cores, two dies). Thus the integrated memory controller is not quad-channel but two dual-channel IMCs. Nevertheless, it provided the new Opteron 6100 series more than double the memory bandwith of its predecessors.

Going back to the presentation, the Cray is able to utilize the 12 cores with the use of Core Specialization, which allows the user to pin a single core on the node to the OS and devote the remainder to application code. Plus now with whopping 12MB L3 cache, it improves performance by reducing the amount of time spent accessing data in higher-latency system memory. In addition to this, Cray has the new Gemini Interconnect that directly leverages the HT connection, thus ensuring full bandwidth. Cray also has CLE3 (Cray Linux Environment generation 3), which is an adaptive Linux OS that can scale up to 500,000 and more cores, and the Cray Programming Environment.

Some additional info, the Cray Inc. holds the number 1 and 3 spots of the top 500 Supercomputers for November 2009, as well as 19 systems included in the Green 500 of November 2009.

I will share to you the slides in PDF as soon as Linux Magazine sends it to the webinar attendees.  Cheers!

AMD Opteron™ 6000 Series platform

AMD Sets the New Standard for Price, Performance, and Power for the Datacenter

AMD Opteron™ 6000 Series platform with Direct Connect Architecture 2.0 delivers more cores, more memory for less money.

Up to 119 percent improved performance while maintaining low price and power.

QUOTE (SUNNYVALE @ Calif. —3/29/2010)

AMD (NYSE: AMD) announces availability of a new server platform featuring the world’s first 8- and 12-core x86 processor for the high-volume 2P and value 4P server market. The AMD Opteron™ 6000 Series platform addresses the unmistakable needs of server customers today - workload-specific performance, power efficiency, and overall value - while delivering more cores and more memory for less money.  Leading OEMs including HP, Dell, Acer Group, Cray, and SGI are introducing new systems based on this highly scalable and reliable platform.

http://www.amd.com/us/press-releases/Pages...-29mar2010.aspx

http://www.amd.com/us/products/server/proc...s-platform.aspx

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AMD will split off its manufacturing operations with ATIC.

AMD said Tuesday that it will split off its manufacturing operations in a deal with the Advanced Technology Investment Company of Abu Dhabi. AMD will also receive a capital infusion from Mubadala Development Company, which will wind up owning more than 19 percent of Intel’s smaller rival...

The Foundry Company, which will be led by Doug Grose, senior vice president at AMD, will start out making chips based on AMD’s designs. AMD will own 44.4 percent of the Foundry Company with Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) owning the rest. The deal is quite a feat of financial engineering, but a good move overall...

The whole ZDNet article:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=10328&tag=nl.e539