Intel has unveiled its plans for micro-servers yesterday, during the Structure Conference in San Francisco. These servers are designed to run specific tasks efficiently and fast, which require little CPU power. Intel has developed a new version of the Atom processor, specifically for its new servers. This 'Avoton' chip has an integrated chip as well, so it's technically a SoC. The Avoton will use the same 22nm process as the current 'Ivy Bridge' chips and will also feature the new Tri-gate transistors.
Jason Waxman writes in an Intel blog post that the new Avoton SoC allows users to create a webserver with a TDP of just 9 watts. While the processor is by no means as fast as a Xeon, it's still an appealing solution to systems that only require little performance. The chip is compatible with 64-bit memory addressing, hardware-based Intel VT virtualisation and ECC memory.
The new Avoton processor has two cores, which can process up to four threads simultaneously thanks to Hyperthreading. The chip is clocked at 1.6 GHz, has an integrated NM10 chipset and a 6 W TDP. Intel's new Avoton should be available in early 2013. By then Intel will have new processors for demanding applications as well, based on the new 'Haswell' architecture. These will also use 22nm transistors, but should be significantly faster than the 'Ivy Bridge' processors.
Intel brings efficient Atom technology to micro-server with its new 'Avoton' processor
