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Success of ARM's v8 processor cores hinges on ecosystem
Jim McGregor
10/31/2012 5:01 AM EDT
Not positioned as a server architecture
Unlike the A15 generation, however, ARM is not positioning the v8 as a server architecture. In fact, the company highlighted the use of the architecture in future smartphones, despite the fact that most of the initial processors will be targeting server applications.
The reason for the smartphone positioning is to emphasis the low-power design requirements for the new cores that will allow them to meet the needs of a broad range of computing applications ranging from mobile devices to servers. Although the cores work together in support of the big-little strategy in mobile applications, the server based products will be more homogeneous in nature using either multiple A57 or A53 cores, which is a more practical configuration for server applications. AMD has already indicated that its future ARM-based Opteron processors will be featuring the A57 core.
Initial software support is expected to come from open-source solutions, but it is likely that Microsoft and other proprietary platforms will be supporting the ARM solutions by the anticipated 2014/2015 introduction timeframe.
Although the news of the v8 architecture is not new, the achievement of the core development milestones and support from the ecosystem demonstrates the potential for the ARM architecture as it expands into other computing segments.
Although I would not go as far as other industry watchers in calling this an x86 killer, the focus on power efficiency and a robust ecosystem ensures that the new architecture will be an attractive solution for some server applications.
Initial success will still hinge on the availability of tools, support of OEMs, and willingness of customers to invest in porting applications over to the ARM architecture. Early success of the ARM ecosystem is likely to be in larger enterprise and data center implementations that are focused on managing high network traffic or executing massively parallel computing algorithms. More details on the new architecture and outlook for the architecture will be available in an upcoming whitepaper from Tirias Research.
Jim McGregor is the founder and principal analyst at Tirias Research.
Related stories:
Unlike the A15 generation, however, ARM is not positioning the v8 as a server architecture. In fact, the company highlighted the use of the architecture in future smartphones, despite the fact that most of the initial processors will be targeting server applications.
The reason for the smartphone positioning is to emphasis the low-power design requirements for the new cores that will allow them to meet the needs of a broad range of computing applications ranging from mobile devices to servers. Although the cores work together in support of the big-little strategy in mobile applications, the server based products will be more homogeneous in nature using either multiple A57 or A53 cores, which is a more practical configuration for server applications. AMD has already indicated that its future ARM-based Opteron processors will be featuring the A57 core.
Initial software support is expected to come from open-source solutions, but it is likely that Microsoft and other proprietary platforms will be supporting the ARM solutions by the anticipated 2014/2015 introduction timeframe.
Although the news of the v8 architecture is not new, the achievement of the core development milestones and support from the ecosystem demonstrates the potential for the ARM architecture as it expands into other computing segments.
Although I would not go as far as other industry watchers in calling this an x86 killer, the focus on power efficiency and a robust ecosystem ensures that the new architecture will be an attractive solution for some server applications.
Initial success will still hinge on the availability of tools, support of OEMs, and willingness of customers to invest in porting applications over to the ARM architecture. Early success of the ARM ecosystem is likely to be in larger enterprise and data center implementations that are focused on managing high network traffic or executing massively parallel computing algorithms. More details on the new architecture and outlook for the architecture will be available in an upcoming whitepaper from Tirias Research.
Jim McGregor is the founder and principal analyst at Tirias Research.
Related stories:
- ARM tips 64-bit 'big-little' processors, partners
- Custom cores in the cards for AMD, ARM?
- The x86 is dead. Long live the x86
- Acer delays launch of Windows RT tablets
- App developers are weak link for Android security
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