Posted on Tuesday, September 27 2005 @ 18:48 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
AMD64 technology already offers increased longevity for platforms due to its upgradeability from 32- to 64-bits, as well as upgrade potential from single-core to dual-core technology, depending on the system. AMD currently offers top to bottom solutions for thin client computing with the AMD Geode processor, as well as high-performing workstation solutions, and a backbone for server-based computing with the AMD Opteron processor. Custom solutions provided by AMD for blade PC solutions also provide flexibility for OEMs and excellent performance/watt. Together with customers and partners, AMD can now offer OEMs a complete portfolio of commercial client computing solutions with platforms including managed PCs, blade PCs, high-performance workstations, and thin clients.
"AMD believes that increasingly flexible and manageable computing architectures can allow commercial IT customers to rapidly adapt to changing business conditions for greater success," said Marty Seyer, corporate vice president, Commercial Business and Performance Computing, Microprocessor Solutions Sector (MSS), AMD. "By minimizing the number of platform configurations, enabling easy and rapid system deployment, and allowing for freedom of choice in component brands, AMD CSIP is designed to improve commercial PC management while offering outstanding performance, platform features and choices. Building upon the success of the AMD Opteron processor in the enterprise market, AMD is committed to meeting the evolving client needs of medium and large business customers."
AMD has joined forces with top-tier partners supporting AMD CSIP including Atheros and Broadcom, ATI and NVIDIA, as well as motherboard manufacturers ASUS, ECS, GIGABYTE and MSI. Based on AMD64 technology, AMD CSIP commenced the 15-month stability period September 1 for desktop and mobile PCs with select AMD processors, as well as stable-image drivers, chipsets and motherboards. Motherboards participating in the AMD CSIP program will become available during Q4 2005. The AMD CSIP program initially will be available to select system builders and OEMs in Europe and North America, with broader availability expected in early 2006.
"ATI was the first to provide PCI Express integrated graphics chipsets for AMD and we have shipped millions of Radeon Xpress chipsets for the AMD platform," said Phil Eisler, vice president and general manager of ATI's Integrated and Mobile Chipset Business Unit. "ATI's proven Radeon Xpress technology is an ideal foundation for the AMD Commercial Stable Image Platform program."
"As a leader in providing advanced workstation and server platforms to global corporations, NVIDIA understands what is required to deliver stable business platforms, which is why we support AMD CSIP," said Drew Henry, general manager, Platform Products, NVIDIA. "In keeping with the goals of the AMD CSIP program, our new NVIDIA Business Platform offers a certified stable image platform designed to help corporate IT managers reduce their total IT costs. The NVIDIA Business Platform is designed around AMD processors because of their leading-edge performance, lower power consumption, cooler thermals, and whisper-quiet operation."
A consistent and key condition for the commercial market is disk image stability which allows IT organizations to focus on supporting a single, stable platform, reducing the number of disk images, and in turn, helping to reduce overall IT support costs. With disk image stability, businesses can create and maintain a standardized software image consisting of hardware drivers, application software and an operating system. This software image can then be applied when new PCs are deployed without the concern of incompatibilities between hardware and software.
"Disk image stability is an important requirement in the commercial market for manageable PCs delivering outstanding productivity for commercial customers," said Pat Wang, marketing manager, ZT Group Int'l, Inc. "With the AMD Commercial Image Stable Platform program, AMD has once again delivered on its commitment to offer a choice with top-of-the-line stable image platform components. We are excited to be able to offer the commercial-targeted ZT Pro Business Workstation A7000 platform as a part of the AMD CSIP program. These systems are available to order now for business customers directly from ZT Group Int'l, Inc."
"Focused solidly on getting the greatest value with the least amount of cost, enterprise IT managers have demanded platforms that they can depend upon to be stable for 12 months," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst for the Enderle Group. "IT organizations are increasingly demanding that OEMs pursue new and innovative ways to increase security, improve manageability, and reduce the cost of desktop hardware. The CSIP platform program from AMD provides buyers and OEMs a new choice so that both can work together to provide the best solution for their respective customers."
The AMD CSIP program supports AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors, AMD Athlon(TM) 64 processors and AMD Turion 64 mobile technology. Systems based on AMD64 technology offer leading-edge performance, Enhanced Virus Protection(1), innovative system-level features including Cool'n'Quiet technology or AMD PowerNow! technology, and full compatibility with existing software and future 64-bit applications, designed to provide outstanding productivity and extended system lifespan. For more information on the AMD CSIP program, visit www.amd.com/csip.
