80546KF

The 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ processor MP with up to 8MB L3 cache is a 64-bit multi-processor capable server processor based on improvements to the Intel NetBurst® microarchitecture. 80546KF maintains the tradition of compatibility with IA-32 software and includes features found in the Intel® Xeon™ processor such as Hyper Pipelined Technology, a Rapid Execution Engine, and an Execution Trace Cache. Hyper Pipelined Technology includes a multi-stage pipeline, allowing the processor to reach much higher core frequencies. The 667 MHz front side bus is a quad-pumped bus running off a 166 MHz system clock making 5.3 GB per second data transfer rates possible.

The Execution Trace Cache is a level 1 (L1) cache that stores decoded micro-operations, which removes the decoder from the main execution path, thereby increasing performance. In addition, the 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ processor MP with up to 8MB L3 cache includes the Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology, providing additional address capability.

In addition, enhanced thermal and power management capabilities are implemented, including Thermal Monitor, Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2), and Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology. Thermal Monitor and Thermal Monitor 2 provide efficient and effective cooling in high temperature situations. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology allows trade-offs to be made between performance and power consumption. This may lower average power consumption (in conjunction with OS support).

The 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ processor MP with up to 8MB L3 cache supports Hyper-Threading Technology. This feature allows a single, physical processor to function as two logical processors.

While some execution resources such as caches, execution units, and buses are shared, each logical processor has its own architectural state with its own set of general-purpose registers, control registers to provide increased system responsiveness in multitasking environments, and headroom for next generation multi-threaded applications. More information on Hyper-Threading Technology can be found at http://www.intel.com/technology/hyperthread.

Support for Intel's Execute Disable Bit functionality has been added which can prevent certain classes of malicious "buffer overflow" attacks when combined with a supporting operating system.

Execute Disable Bit allows the processor to classify areas in memory by where application code  can execute and where it cannot. When a malicious worm attempts to insert code in the buffer, the processor disables code execution, preventing damage or worm propagation.

Other features within the Intel NetBurst microarchitecture include Advanced Dynamic Execution, Advanced Transfer Cache, enhanced floating point and multi-media unit, and Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 (SSE2). The Advanced Dynamic Execution improves speculative execution and branch prediction internal to the processor. The Advanced Transfer Cache is a 1 MB on-die level 2 (L2) cache with increased bandwidth. The floating point and multi-media units include 128-bit wide registers and a separate register for data movement. SSE2 instructions provide highly efficient double-precision floating point, SIMD integer, and memory management operations. In addition, Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (SSE3) instructions have been added to further extend the capabilities of Intel processor technology. Other processor enhancements include core frequency improvements and microarchitectural improvements.

The 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ processor MP with up to 8MB L3 cache supports Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology (Intel® EM64T) as an enhancement to Intel's IA-32 architecture. This enhancement allows the processor to execute operating systems and applications written to take advantage of the 64-bit extension technology. The processor supports 40-bit addressing, data busaddition of the Deferred Phase. Further details can be found in the 64-bit Extension Technology Software Developer's Guide at http://developer.intel.com/technology/64bitextensions/.