AppliedMicro revitalizes cloud with world’s first 64-bit ARM architecture compliant processor

SUNNYVALE, USA: Applied Micro Circuits Corp. or AppliedMicro, announced “X-Gene,” the world’s first 64-bit ARM architecture compliant processor for next-generation cloud computing, wireless infrastructure, enterprise networking, storage and security applications.

X-Gene multi-core processors based on high-performance ARMv8 compliant cores operating at up to 3.0 GHz will offer compelling performance at a fraction of the power and cost of existing solutions. With unparalleled single-thread performance, full CPU and I/O virtualization, and System-on-a-Chip (SoC) enabled glueless multi-processing, X-Gene will enable AppliedMicro to define the next generation of cloud computing.

Today’s multi-billion dollar cloud computing server landscape is dominated by systems that have a fundamental imbalance between the compute, memory, storage and networking components. Driven by the relentless pursuit for the utmost CPU performance, these imbalanced components are both power hungry and costly. AppliedMicro’s solution changes this paradigm by optimizing the system with a simpler, more elegant approach to reduce server cost, power and complexity by more than 50 percent. The new processors from AppliedMicro will implement the ARMv8 architecture, which includes the new ARM 64-bit instruction set, to deliver the world’s first “server-on-a-chip” integrating compute, networking and server elements into a single footprint.

“The current growth trajectory of data centers, driven by the viral explosion of social media and cloud computing applications, will continue to accelerate,” said Dr. Paramesh Gopi, president and CEO of AppliedMicro. “In offering the world’s first 64-bit ARM architecture processor, we harmonize the network with cloud computing and environmental responsibility. Our next-generation of multicore SoCs will bring in a new era of energy efficient performance that doesn’t break the bank on a limited power supply. In doing so, AppliedMicro becomes a more complete cloud computing technology provider for one of the hottest growth drivers in the industry.”

“Collectively, data centers around the world consume nearly 1.5 percent of total electricity production and almost $44.5 billion a year is spent on powering the servers in these data centers,” said Linley Gwennap, principal analyst from Linley Group. “Looking at the growth projections for data center usage and the future of power generation growth, this trajectory is unsustainable. A new paradigm for developing data centers based on energy efficiency will certainly help make data centers scale realistically with future demand growth.”

AppliedMicro’s initial ARM-based SoC design will be optimized for cloud server systems with a software-friendly architecture that greatly improves system utilization. AppliedMicro has implemented a sophisticated microarchitecture for the ARMv8 64-bit ISA and optimized it to deliver the highest performance while maintaining the power and cost profile associated with ARM technology. This server-on-a-chip will integrate multiple copies of AppliedMicro’s ARMv8 compliant 64-bit cores and a high-performance terabit coherent fabric with on-chip 10-Gigabit LAN, storage and WAN physical layer IP, as well as a 100-Gigabit per second inter socket communications interface to extend coherency to multi-chip configurations.

The SoC design integrates server-class dynamic power management to maximize power savings during the idle state while maximizing performance and responsiveness with the ability to configure thermal dissipated power (TDP) to meet varying system requirements. This technology allows the SoC to achieve an unprecedented level of standby power of less than 300mW.

The X-Gene’s unprecedented level of SoC integration in cloud server system designs reduces the chip count while also eliminating the power-hungry interfaces. In addition, the X-Gene platform is designed with Reliability, Availability and Serviceability (RAS) features required in the server space.

“We are excited to collaborate with AppliedMicro, who are early implementers of 64-bit ARM architecture based solutions,” said Lance Howarth, executive VP Marketing, ARM. “As cloud computing continues to redefine high end computing workloads, highly integrated solutions like AppliedMicro’s server-on-a-chip will offer an optimized balance of power, performance and price for an emerging generation of efficient server solutions.”

AppliedMicro’s new processor family will leverage build upon the already large installed ARM software and hardware ecosystem and appeal to the open source software community much like its 32-bit predecessor. Server class open-source OS will be fully enabled by the time of production.

First samples of AppliedMicro’s X-Gene server-on-a-chip devices are expected in the second half of 2012 and will be produced at TSMC.