AMCC demonstrated the first 64-bit ARM Processor

Published:2011/10/27 21:48:00 Author:Phyllis From:SeekIC

Applied Micro Circuits Corp. demonstrated core functionality of the world’s first 64-bit ARM processor during the ARM TechCon 2011. On the same day ARM Holding announced its 64-bit ARMv8 instruction set architecture. The X-Gene chip is the first of an array of competitors that will attacks Intel’s multi-billion dollars server franchise with cheaper, lower power ARM SoCs.

The demonstration marks a fundamental achievement to provide a proof of a single PMD core running both UBoot and 64-bit Linux. It also provides pre-silicon customer evaluation of 64-bit ARM solution and paves the way for a more sustainable future of cloud computing as this architecture will provide high-performance devices that consume less power and lower costs compared to today’s server chips.

AMCC’s 64-bit processor family will leverage a large installed base of ARM software and hardware solutions and appeal to the open-source software community, similar to its 32-bit predecessor.

The cores are quad-issue, out-of-order superscalar designs. The chip also sports Ethernet MACs, PCI Express and Serial ATA linked on an 80 GByte/second fabric.

Two other companies are developing 32-bit ARM server chips. Marvell has announced a quad-core ARM Cortex A9, and startup Calxeda has discussed plans for a 5W 32-bit ARM chip. Calxeda is expected to announce its chip next week. Hewlett-Packard is expected to use it in some server systems.

In January, Nvidia said it is working on a full line of ARM computer processors spanning handhelds to supercomputers. ARM named Nvidia as one of three lead partners licensing the 64-bit V8 architecture along with AMCC and Microsoft.

A new paradigm for developing data centers based on energy efficiency will certainly help make data centers scale realistically with future demand growth. The 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. There’s an opportunity to fundamentally change the server market.

Applied Micro Circuits Corporation, a semiconductor company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, markets, sells, and supports integrated circuits for processing, transporting, and storing information. It offers physical layer products; framer and mapper products; and embedded processor products for wireless infrastructure equipment and packet processor ICs.

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