| D: | What markets are you targeting with the AMD Opteron™ 100 Series processors supporting ECC unbuffered memory?
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| R: | Designed for 1-way server and workstation applications, the AMD Opteron 100 Series processor supporting ECC unbuffered memory is intended for customers who want the reliability and performance of AMD Opteron in a single-processor solution but are looking for lower-cost solutions. Unbuffered memory is less expensive than registered memory and will enable systems manufacturers to build less expensive solutions. One-way servers are commonly used by small businesses for multiple needs as well as by departmental users for Web serving, file & print needs and other less CPU-intensive applications. One-way workstations are commonly used by CAD, architectural and digital content creation (DCC) professionals to create engineering models, design schematics or digital effects. |
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| D: | What models of the AMD Opteron 100 Series processor are available now?
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| R: | The AMD Opteron 100 Series processor with ECC unbuffered memory support is currently available in Models 154, 152, 150, 148, 146 and 144 and in dual-core Models 180, 175, 170 and 165. |
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| D: | Does the new AMD Opteron 100 Series processor with ECC unbuffered memory support include additional features that were previously unavailable?
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| R: | ECC unbuffered memory support is new to all AMD Opteron 100 Series processors offered in a 939-pin package. ECC unbuffered memory support is significant in that in can greatly reduce the overall solution cost of 1P servers and workstations based on these processors.
All AMD Opteron 100 Series processors with unbuffered memory support include performance enhancing features such as SSE3 software instructions as well as a 1GHz HyperTransport technology bus (offering up to 8.0GB/s throughput).
Energy savings and noise reduction features are available via AMD PowerNow!™ technology with Optimized Power Management (OPM). AMD PowerNow! technology with OPM is designed to adapt the performance of AMD Opteron processors based on application and end-user demand. This can reduce thermal output and can help lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) associated with electrical and cooling needs.
The exact features and specifications of all AMD Opteron processors can be determined using our AMD Opteron processor Quick Reference Guide. Use the Ordering Part Number (OPN), printed on the top of your processor, to determine if these benefits apply to the AMD Opteron processor you are using. |
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| D: | Which processor(s) does the AMD Opteron 100 Series processor with Direct Connect Architecture compete against?
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| R: | The AMD Opteron 100 Series processor competes against Intel’s Pentium® 4 processor line. |
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| D: | What motherboard support is available for the AMD Opteron 100 Series processors supporting ECC unbuffered memory?
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| R: | The AMD Opteron 100 Series processors with ECC unbuffered memory support are currently supported by the Tyan S2865 (model S2865G2NR for servers, and model S2865AG2NRF for workstations). Additional motherboards from manufacturers such as SuperMicro and MSI are in development. Please check with your preferred motherboard manufacturer as to their plans to support the AMD Opteron 100 Series processor with ECC unbuffered memory support. |
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| D: | What OEMs or system builders are offering systems featuring the 100 Series of the AMD Opteron processor?
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| R: | Sun Microsystems offers the Ultra 20 Workstation based on the AMD Opteron 100 Series processor with unbuffered memory support. AMD is working with regional OEMS and system builders to develop additional products based on this processor.
Cray Supercomputer offers the XD1 and XT3 products based on the AMD Opteron 100 Series processor supporting registered memory (940-pin).
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| D: | What is the memory capability of the AMD Opteron 100 Series processor?
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| R: | The AMD Opteron 100 Series processor supporting ECC unbuffered memory is capable of supporting 4 DIMMs (memory sticks) per CPU at memory speeds ranging from PC1600 to PC3200. With memory sticks available up to 4GB, a single AMD Opteron processor can support up to 16GB of memory per CPU. |
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| D: | Does the AMD Opteron 100 Series processor support unbuffered or registered memory?
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| R: | In response to customer demand, AMD has added ECC unbuffered memory support to the AMD Opteron 100 Series processors as of Aug. 2, 2005. Supporting ECC unbuffered memory on AMD Opteron 100 Series processors is expected to significantly reduce the overall solution cost, making the AMD Opteron processor family available to a broader set of 1P server and workstation customers.
This support extends to our Dual-Core AMD Opteron 100 Series. Additionally, we plan to extend ECC unbuffered memory support to future AMD Opteron 100 Series processors designed for DDR2 and other emerging memory technologies.
AMD will continue to deliver the AMD Opteron 100 Series processors using registered memory to existing customers that require them, including customers who are designing high-end products based on the AMD64 embedded processor roadmap.
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| D: | Why add ECC unbuffered memory to the AMD Opteron 100 Series processors?
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| R: | Supporting ECC unbuffered memory on AMD Opteron 100 Series processors is expected to significantly reduce the overall solution cost, making the AMD Opteron processor family available to a broader set of 1P server and workstation customers. |
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| D: | What are the advantages of ECC unbuffered memory?
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| R: | ECC unbuffered memory allows for a lower overall system cost and offers slightly higher performance than registered memory. |
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| D: | How will the new AMD Opteron 100 Series processors with ECC unbuffered memory support differ from the AMD Athlon™ 64 and AMD Athlon 64 FX processors?
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| R: | Although the AMD Opteron 100 Series processors with unbuffered memory support will share the same core technology as the AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Athlon 64 FX processors and will be socket and thermally compatible, there are some distinct differences:
- AMD Opteron 100 Series processors with ECC unbuffered memory all have 1MB of L2 cache.
- AMD Opteron 100 Series processors with ECC unbuffered memory are produced on AMD Opteron processor die material and follow the same AMD Opteron processor manufacturing process as do the 800 Series and 200 Series.
- AMD Opteron 100 Series processors with ECC unbuffered memory undergo the same AMD Opteron processor-level testing and validation as do the 800 Series and 200 Series.
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| D: | What chipset support is available for these processors?
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| R: | The AMD Opteron 100 Series processors supporting ECC unbuffered memory are supported by the NVIDIA nForce Professional 2200 and 2050 chipsets, the ServerWorks HT-1000 and HT-2000 chipset and the AMD-8000™ series of chipsets. |
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| D: | What software supports these processors?
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| R: | As a backward-compatible x86 microprocessor, the AMD Opteron processor is designed to support all existing 32-bit server and workstation operating systems from Microsoft® (Windows® Server 2003, Windows XP, etc.), major Linux distributors (RedHat, SuSE, TurboLinux, SCO, MandrakeSoft), and Sun Solaris. In addition, several 64-bit operating systems exist in production versions (Windows 64-bit editions, RedHat Enterprise Advanced Server 4.0, TurboLinux 10 Server, Novell SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9.3, UnitedLinux V1, MandrakeLinux Corporate Version 3.0, NetBSD, Solaris 10) and several more are in development. For an up-to-date listing of 32- and 64-bit software applications that support AMD64 technology and AMD Opteron processors with Direct Connect Architecture, visit the AMD64 Ecosystem.
For multi-tasking and multi-threaded environments, two cores offer more physical resources, enabling operating systems to prioritize and manage tasks from multiple applications simultaneously and, therefore, maximize performance. Dual-core AMD64 processors are compatible with the existing base of x86 software, whether it is single-threaded, multi-threaded or hyperthreaded. This means the more than 1,300 applications from more than 300 ISVs and open-source software organizations that are featured in the AMD64 Ecosystem will be able to support AMD64 dual-core processors with a simple BIOS upgrade and no substantial code changes.
More than 30 strategic software partners joined AMD in the launch of AMD64 dual-core technology, including market-leading vendors for operating systems, development tools and database, IT infrastructure, engineering and graphic design tools. The industry’s leading operating systems — Windows 64-bit editions, Solaris 10 and Linux dual-core-compatible operating systems — are all optimized for AMD64 dual-core technology. |
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| D: | What benchmarks are you providing for these processors?
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| R: | Workstation benchmarks include SPECviewperf® 8.1, SPECapc(sm) for SolidWorks 2005, SPECapc for Maya 6, Cinebench 2003, OCUS v4, Cadalyst 2001, Fluent 6.2, Maya 6 and SoftImage XSI. Server benchmarks include WebBench™ 5.0, SPECjbb®2000, SPECfp® and SPECint®.
For more information, please see the benchmarks or the specific organization Web site. |
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