| Q: | What markets are you targeting with the AMD Opteron™ 200 Series with Direct Connect Architecture?
| | A: | The AMD Opteron™ 200 Series with Direct Connect Architecture is for use in two-way servers or workstations. Enterprise workloads typically benefiting from two-way server processing power include Web servers, file & print servers, Java application servers and email servers and clustered two-way servers are good for heavier-duty workloads such as database and decision support/data warehousing. Two-way standalone and clustered systems are also frequently used for high-performance computing applications such as life sciences, oil & gas and other engineering applications. Workstation applications that take advantage of the performance of the AMD Opteron processor with Direct Connect Architecture include digital content creation, mechanical and electrical design, financial analysis, 3-D modeling, and engineering applications such as oil & gas, EDA, scientific visualization, and CFD. |
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| | Q: | What models of the AMD Opteron 200 Series are available now?
| | A: | The AMD Opteron 200 Series is currently available in single-core Models 254, 252, 250, 248, 246, 244, 242 and 240 and in dual-core Models 265, 270 and 275. |
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| | Q: | What are the features of the AMD Opteron 200 Series processor?
| | A: | AMD has made some significant enhancements to the AMD Opteron 200 Series processors with Direct Connect Architecture beginning with Model 252. Performance-enhancing features include support for SSE3 software instructions as well as an increase in the HyperTransport™ technology bus frequency from 800MHz to 1GHz (improving individual link throughput from 6.4GB/s to 8.0GB/s).
In addition, with a BIOS update provided by the OEM or solution provider, AMD Opteron processor-based platforms shipped after May 2004 can be enabled with AMD PowerNow!™ technology with Optimized Power Management (OPM). AMD PowerNow! technology with OPM for the AMD Opteron processor is designed to optimize their performance based on application and end-user demand. This can reduce thermal output to help lower TCO associated with electrical and cooling needs.
Use the Ordering Part Number (OPN) to determine the features of your processor. For more information visit http://www.amd.com/processorquickrefguide |
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| | Q: | Which processor(s) does the AMD Opteron 200 Series with Direct Connect Architecture compete against?
| | A: | The AMD Opteron 200 Series processor most closely competes against the Xeon processor in two-way servers and workstations but with Dual-Core AMD Opteron 200 Series processors there is no competitive product in the server and workstation space as Xeon does not have a dual-core version in the market at this time. |
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| | Q: | What motherboard support is available for these processors?
| | A: | The AMD Opteron 200 Series processor with Direct Connect Architecture is currently supported by motherboards from manufacturers such as Abit, Arima, ASUS, Gigabyte, IWill, MSI, Newisys, SuperMicro and Tyan for 2-way servers and workstations. For more information on specific boards and configurations, visitwww.amd.com/configuration
The Sanmina-SCI 2100 Server is available through the Validated Server Program, Systems/barebones that have passed AMD’s Thermal Testing process include products from Accelertech, Arima, Avnet, CCSI, Dawning, MSI, Sanmina/SCI, Tatung, Tyan and Uniwide. For more information on these products, see http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_8796_8819^9398,00.html
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| | Q: | What OEMs or system builders are offering systems featuring the AMD Opteron 200 Series processor with Direct Connect Architecture?
| | A: | Leading OEMs Egenera, Fujitsu-Siemens Computer, HP, IBM and Sun, along with regional system builders currently offer two-way systems including workstations, servers and blades based on the single- and Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors with Direct Connect Architecture and are expected to add the newest version, the AMD Opteron processor Model 254, to their current and new platforms. For information on specific configurations supported and planned for support please contact the OEM. |
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| | Q: | What is the memory capability of the AMD Opteron 200 Series processor?
| | A: | In addition to providing world-class 32-bit performance, the AMD Opteron 200 Series is 64-bit capable, allowing it to support very large memory (up to 1TB of physical memory), well beyond the 4GB limit of competing 32-bit processors. In server and workstation environments based on 2P systems, this large memory addressability can benefit enterprise workloads including large databases, business processing (ERP, CRM, SCM), business intelligence, as well as other IT infrastructure applications including heavy-duty Web serving and messaging. Workstation applications that can take advantage of the performance of the AMD Opteron processor include oil & gas, EDA, scientific and engineering [such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) or finite element analysis], digital content creation (DCC), mechanical and electrical design, financial analysis, and 3-D modeling. This can result in enhanced performance and improved productivity in business environments. With its 128-bit integrated memory controller and three HyperTransport technology links that together offer up to 24.0GB/s of I/O bandwidth per processor, the AMD Opteron processor with Direct Connect Architecture can provide a higher level of performance for multi-threaded applications by reducing memory latency (e.g. the CPU can get information more quickly and in turn produces results more quickly.
The AMD Opteron processor is based on AMD64 technology with Direct Connect Architecture, which helps eliminate the bottlenecks inherent in traditional front-side bus architectures and, instead, directly connects processors, memory controllers and I/O to the central processor unit for improving overall system performance and efficiency. |
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| | Q: | What chipset support is available for these processors?
| | A: | The AMD Opteron processor 200 Series with Direct Connect Architecture is supported by the AMD-8000™ series of chipsets. This series includes the new AMD-8132™ HyperTransport™ PCI-X® 2.0 tunnel, the AMD-8131™ HyperTransport PCI-X Tunnel, AMD-8111™ HyperTransport I/O Hub, and the AMD-8151™ HyperTransport AGP3.0 Graphics Tunnel. In addition, VIA offers the VIA K8T800 chipset. NVIDIA supports the AMD Opteron processor 100 Series with the NVIDIA nForce3 Pro 150 and 250 chipsets and the NVIDIA nForce Professional 2200 and 2050 chipsets that support PCI-Express. Serverworks offers HT2000 and HT1000 chipsets that support PCI-Express. |
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| | Q: | What software supports these processors?
| | A: | As a fully backward-compatible x86 microprocessor, the AMD Opteron processor with Direct Connect Architecture is designed to support all existing 32-bit server and workstation operating systems from Microsoft® (Windows® XP Professional x64 Edition, 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 (RedHat Enterprise Advanced Server 4.0, TurboLinux 10 Server, Novell SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9.3, UnitedLinux V1, MandrakeLinux Corporate Version 3.0, NetBSD and 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, visitwww.amd.com/amd64ecosystem. |
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| | Q: | What benchmarks are you providing for these processors?
| | A: | Workstation benchmarks include: SPECviewperf 8.0, SPECapc for SolidWorks 2005, SPECapc for SolidEdge V14, SPECapc for Maya 6, SPECapc for Pro/ENGINEER 2001, SPECapc for 3ds max, OCUS, Fluent, Cinebench 2003, Cadalyst 2001, and SoftImage XSI.
Server benchmarks include: SPECfp®_rate2000, SPECint_rate2000, SPECjbb2000, SPECweb99, SPECweb99_SSL, SAP Standard Application Sales and Distribution (SD), TPC-H™, WebBench, NetBench, and SPECjAppServer2002.
For more information, please see: www.amd.com/opteronperformance or the specific organization Web site. |
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| | Q: | Are the AMD Opteron 200 Series processors with Direct Connect Architecture available through the Validated Server Program?
| | A: | Yes, the Validated Server Program will offer systems based on the AMD Opteron processor 200 Series. For more information, see http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/SellAMDProducts/0,,30_177_4458_3505^8796^13149,00.html |
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