Intel launches Xeon processors for workstations

Intel has announced the launch of a new Xeon processor based platform for workstations, which allows the processor to run both 64-bit and 32-bit. The
launch comes a year after rival AMD launched its 32/64-bit Opteron processor.

Briefing the press today, Intel solutions group director Shrikant Patil said, "The latest Intel Xeon processor based platforms
bring powerful technologies to market providing customers with greater performance,
reliability and improved memory and graphics capabilities for their business needs."

The new processor, which includes the E7525 chipset, provides users the option of switching between various modes such as
legacy (32/32), compatibility (64/32) and 64-bit (64/64). The company claims that the new
processor ups the system performance by 30 percent over previous generations. Power consumption and total cost of ownership is also reduced
considerably, said Patil.

Code-named Nocona, the new processor is equipped with enhancements such as extended memory 64 technology, DDR2
memory, a faster 800 MHz bus and PCI Express for better graphics performance. The chip incorporates nanometer and
hyperthreading technologies. The workstations are expected to benefit users across a range of functions such as digital film making, financial and
scientific data modeling and design automation. 

Intel is in the process of enabling the ecosystem of hardware vendors in Taiwan, OS vendors, independent software vendors and end users for which it
is utilizing an R&D spend of $ four billion. Company sources said that the new Xeon platform for servers would be launched in two months.

On the question of how Xeon compared with AMD's Opteron, Patil said, " Xeon has a more proven architecture since its broadly deployed in enterprises."
Responding to a question on the recall of a set of flawed Grantsdale chips, Patil said that the glitch was due to a manufacturing problem and not
because of a design flaw. "The business impact is negligible since we caught it early on," he said.

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