AMD sees low-power low-cost datacentres for cloud providers

Using SeaMicro's fabric computing innovation, AMD says its system integration partners will be able to build dense, highly power-efficient low-cost datacentres.

The processor supports AMD's server chipsets

The processor supports AMD's server chipsets and has server operating system certification, including Linux iterations and Windows Server.

With AMD's acquisition of SeaMicro all nevertheless complete, the company is developing SeaMicro's fabric computing concept to provide ultra-high-density computing power, said Fruehe.

5in x 11in card populated

AMD's vision for fabric computing comprises numerous "compute nodes" – each a 5in x 11in card populated by a system-on-a-chip processor, custom ASIC and memory – integrated into a chassis via PCI Express and sharing hard drives and networking connectivity.

"We want [our system integrator partners] to take the fabric research and drive beyond the chassis and into racks and even whole datacentres," he added.

The ASIC provides the I/O virtualisation logic which enables multiple processors to share drive and networking resources. It as well helps conserve power using "turn-it-off" innovation which monitors which facilities are being used and powers down those that aren't.

The floor space

SeaMicro's computing fabric innovation could yield datacentres that take up one sixth of the floor space and consume a quarter of the power, however provide 12 times the computing bandwidth of conventional datacentres, said Freuhe.

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