Nocona leads Intel's charge into 64-bit

NEWS Hewlett-Packard, Dell, IBM and others will announce on Monday the first servers to use Intel Xeon processors augmented with 64-bit extensions, which is a technology with major long-term implications.

The 3.6GHz chip, code-named Nocona, is used in increasingly powerful dual-processor machines that account for the bulk of Intel's presence in the market for servers. The systems begin a new 64-bit era begun by Intel rival Advanced Micro Devices, an era that makes it easier to support more than 4GB of memory on the companies' "x86" chips.

Though Intel launched the 64-bit Itanium family in 2001, it wasn't practical to run the vast number of applications written for x86 chips such as Pentium or Xeon. Intel stands by its long-term Itanium plans, arguing that Itanium servers will have the same price but twice the performance as Xeon machines by 2007, but market analyst company IDC lowered its Itanium forecasts based on the arrival of 64-bit x86 chips.

As expected, the Nocona systems will arrive at same time as the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in San Francisco -- appropriate timing given that Linux is the only operating system so far that can take advantage of the processor's 64-bit extensions. Microsoft in July delayed its 64-bit version of Windows for x86 chips such as Intel's Xeon and AMD's Opteron.

Transitions from 32-bit to 64-bit chips, however, take years to accomplish as chips, operating systems and eventually software are adapted to the change. The transition doesn't have to be fast though; Xeon and Opteron can run 64-bit and 32-bit programs simultaneously.

"This gives (customers) the flexibility to deploy systems now and migrate when their 64-bit applications are ready," said Bruce Kornfeld, director of Dell's worldwide enterprise marketing.

The Nocona servers also come with other technologies -- notably, faster DDR2 (double data rate 2) memory and the PCI Express interface for input-output devices such as network or storage cards. To use these technologies, the systems employ a faster 800MHz front-side bus to connect the Xeon to the rest of the system.

However, because of a glitch in Nocona's supporting chipset, code-named Lindenhurst, Intel recommends against using PCI Express plug-in cards. The problem is expected to be fixed in the fourth quarter, but in the meantime, the existing older PCI-X interface can be used.

Among the new Xeon servers to be announced on Monday are the following:

Dell will release four models: the stand-alone 1800 and 2800 and the rack-mountable PowerEdge 1850 and 2850. The 1850 is 1.75 inches thick (1 rack unit, or 1U), while the 2850, with more storage space, is 3.5 inches (2U). A low-end 1850s and 2850s with a 2.8GHz processor and 512MB of memory but no operating system cost $1,799 (£982)and $1,899, respectively.

IBM has two rack-mounted versions, also 1U and 2U thick, as well as a thin blade server, two stand-alone servers and a workstation. The 1U accommodates four hard drives and as much as 16GB of memory and has a $2,209 starting price, while the 2U x346 can accommodate up to six drives and 16GB of memory and has a $2,239 starting price. And the upgraded HS20 blade server starts at $3,559 for two processors and 2GB of memory.

HP, the No. 1 seller of Intel-based servers, also has 1U and 2U rack-mounted models, the ProLiant DL360 G4 and DL380 G4, respectively. Starting prices are $2,349 and $3,449 for the models. Stand-alone ML350 G4 and ML370 G4 servers, with starting prices of $1,529 and $2,899, also will be joined by an updated blade server, the BL20p, whose price will be announced when it ships on 1 September.

Tatung Science & Technology will release new rack-mounted machines for use to host Internet games, business software and scientific applications.

Other companies supporting the new dual-processor products include Acer, California Digital, Appro, Fujitsu, Gateway, Hitachi, Kraftway, LanChao, Lenovo, LinuxNetworx, NEC, Quanta, Rackable Systems, SuperMicro, Toshiba, Verari and Wistron.