Intel Atom processors further expand into storage appliances for homes, small businesses

SANTA CLARA, USA: Backed by industry support of the Intel Atom processor optimized for networked storage appliances for the home and small business, Intel Corp. has added two new Intel Atom processors to further boost the company’s focus on the platform.

Since Intel’s initial foray in this area in March, leading storage manufacturers, including Acer, Cisco, LaCie, LG Electronics, NETGEAR, QNAP, Super Micro, Synology and Thecus have announced products based on the energy-efficient Intel Atom processor platform.

Broadening its offerings for consumer and small business storage appliances, Intel is introducing the 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor D425 single-core and D525 dual-core. These processors boost performance with higher CPU frequencies for faster storage processing and will support the new memory technology, double-data-rate three small outline dual in-line memory modules, also known as DDR3 SODIMM.

The new Intel Atom processors (D425 and D525) are paired with the Intel 82801 IR I/O Controller that delivers the input/output (I/O) connectivity to satisfy the growing throughput demands of leading storage vendors. Both additions to the storage platform offer the flexibility to support Microsoft Windows Home Server and open source Linux operating systems.

“Networked storage appliances based on the Intel Atom processor platform enable consumers and businesses to organize, manage, protect and share documents, photos, videos and music throughout the home or office,” said Dinesh Rao, product line manager, Intel Storage Group.

“The versatile Atom processor, which is at the heart of a growing variety of small, innovative, Internet-connected devices, makes it possible for storage vendors to develop low-power appliances that can innocuously sit on a desk or shelf while keeping digital content safe and available anytime, anywhere.”

Since March, storage manufacturers have adopted the Intel Atom processor D410 single-core and D510 dual-core, each paired with the Intel 82801 IR I/O Controller, to power these affordable network-attached storage (NAS) appliances for the home and small business. Storage vendor products featuring the Intel Atom processor-based platform are currently available and additional devices will be released later this year.

“LaCie recently introduced two storage servers that leverage Intel’s Atom processor technology to deliver enterprise-level storage capabilities to small and medium businesses that were previously only experienced in large, corporate environments,” said Erwan Girard, LaCie Solutions business unit manager. “The new servers include the perfect mix of corporate-grade features and intuitive management software, enclosed in an award-winning 5big design for your desktop, allowing these products to fit seamlessly into any business environment.”

The updated Intel Atom processors for consumer and small business NAS appliances are currently shipping.