Intel debuts first low-voltage Xeon processor

Intel is outfitting server, storage and telecommunications equipment makers with a new ingredient for squeezing more performance out of space– and power–constrained environments. It is the first low–voltage Intel Xeon processor to combine dual–core technology with Intel’s innovative power management capabilities, helping to boost energy–efficient price/performance with up to two to four times the performance–per–watt of previous Intel Xeon processors and platforms.**

The historical need for raw computing performance has evolved into a drive for energy–efficient performance to meet people’s expanding demands – whether for smaller devices, lower cooling bills or better price/performance per watt. Energy–efficient performance enables equipment manufacturers to optimally balance processing capabilities with power and space constraints to help meet those demands. Intel is driving innovations in multi–core computing architectures through a combination of silicon, architecture, platform and software innovations to enable new levels of performance, capabilities and energy efficiency.

With total dissipated power (TDP) of 31 watts, the new low–voltage Dual–Core Intel Xeon processor is ideal for deployments requiring high compute density and power optimization, including single–height (1U) chassis and blade servers, SAN and NAS solutions, and network infrastructure equipment. The new processor excels at handling demanding multi–threaded, multi–tasking applications such as high–performance computing and financial services.

“The low–voltage Dual–Core Intel Xeon processor’s combined enhancements in performance and energy efficiency, along with the efficient power and cooling design of IBM’s industry–leading BladeCenter, deliver a leadership integer performance–per–watt solution,” said Doug Balog, vice president and business line executive, IBM BladeCenter. “The new IBM BladeCenter Ultra Low Power HS20 blade* is a solid example of the innovation being brought to market through Intel and IBM’s blade collaboration.”

To accelerate time to market for telecommunications equipment makers and original equipment manufacturers, Intel also plans to introduce the AdvancedTCA–compliant Intel NetStructure MPCBL0040 Single Board Computer (SBC). This new, high–density–compute SBC features two of the new low–voltage Intel Xeon processors, which equates to four high–performance cores per SBC. With the performance boost of the new dual–core processor, the MPCBL0040 is expected to service far more transactions and subscribers per system than previous generation products, which can help significantly reduce the cost per subscriber and/or transaction and total cost of ownership. This powerful processing capability, offered in the AdvancedTCA standard, is ideal for applications where transaction and subscriber load can increase dramatically in a very short time, such as IP Multimedia Services (IMS), Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), and Wireless Control Plane applications.

Intel is also planning to offer a blade server solution powered by up to two of the new Dual–Core Intel Xeon processors LV for ultra–dense, low–power environments where density is limited by power and cooling capabilities. The Intel® Server Compute Blade SBXD62 will enable server OEMs and resellers to offer their small– and medium–sized business customers a blade server platform to help reduce operational costs and extend IT resources through improved price/performance/watt, operational efficiencies, deployment flexibility and simplified management.

The Dual–Core Intel Xeon processor LV 2.0 GHz and 1.66 GHz are available from Intel now for $423 and $209 per unit, respectively, in 1,000–unit quantities. The Intel NetStructure MPCBL0040 Single Board Computer is expected to be available in the second quarter with an initial price from Intel of $4,495 per unit. The Intel Server Compute Blade SBXD62 is expected to ship in April with an initial price from Intel of $945 per unit (price does not include processor, heat sink, memory or hard drive).