AMD tackles datacentre with Naples processor

AMD has taken a significant step into the server and datacentre market with its most detailed look yet at the upcoming high-performance CPU for servers, codenamed “Naples”.
Purpose-built to disrupt the status-quo and to scale across the cloud datacenter and traditional on-premise server configurations, “Naples” delivers the highly regarded “Zen” x86 processing engine in industry-leading configurations of up to 32 cores.
Superior memory bandwidth and the number of high-speed input / output channels in a single-chip further differentiate “Naples” from anything else in the server market today. The first processors are scheduled to be available in Q2 2017, with volume availability building in the second half of the year through OEM and channel partners.
“Today marks the first major milestone in AMD re-asserting its position as an innovator in the datacenter and returning choice to customers in high-performance server CPUs,” says Forrest Norrod, senior vice-president and GM: Enterprise, Embedded and Semi-Custom business unit, AMD.
“Naples represents a completely new approach to supporting the massive processing requirements of the modern datacentre. This groundbreaking system-on-chip delivers the unique high-performance features required to address highly virtualized environments, massive data sets and new, emerging workloads.”
The new AMD server processor exceeds today’s top competitive offering on critical parameters, with 45% more cores, 60% more input / output capacity (I/O), and 122% more memory bandwidth.
“It is exciting to see AMD back in the server conversation with a new CPU and a sound strategy for why it is the right processor for the modern datacentre and the cloud computing era,” says Matt Eastwood, senior vice-president: Enterprise Infrastructure and Datacentre at IDC. “Looking at the product details announced today, it sounds like a compelling combination that will give IT buyers a unique new option to consider when making their next upgrade.”
Naples features include:
* A highly scalable, 32-core System on Chip (SoC) design, with support for two high-performance threads per core.
* Industry-leading memory bandwidth, with 8-channels of memory per Naples device. In a 2-socket server, support for up to 32 DIMMS of DDR4 on 16 memory channels, delivering up to 4 terabytes of total memory capacity.
* The processor is a complete SoC with fully integrated, high-speed I/O supporting 128 lanes of PCIe 34, negating the need for a separate chip-set.
* A highly-optimised cache structure for high-performance, energy efficient compute.
* AMD Infinity Fabric coherent interconnect for two Naples CPUs in a 2-socket system.
* Dedicated security hardware.