EE Times – Sun employs startup’s technology in server blade processors
SAN FRANCISCO — Sun Microsystems Inc. hopes to leapfrog competitors such as IBM and Intel in the emerging area of server blades by launching multicore microprocessors that can handle as many as 32 separate threads. The technology will form the basis of new Sparc processors that will be discussed when Sun discloses its processor road map late this month.
These would be the first multi-core, multi-thread CPUs in the business, if Sun can pull it off. It’s not clear how register-sharing is going to work, and if it’s actually manufacturable, but it sure sounds neat.
via Hack the Planet.
Well, at least they are basing it on the UltraSparc-II core, which is quite mature at this time and even old, by most standards. The fact that they aren’t relying on an entirely new architecture makes it seem a good bit more feasible than if they were doing with a whole new core.
Sun is notorious for slip — the UltraSparc IV, which was supposed to come out in 2001 is supposedly coming out this year, and the UltraSparc V was supposed to be out last year, according to Sun’s own roadmap in the late 90’s.
I’m not saying it’s not doable, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for this year. At any rate, it’s still very cool tech…