Intel to deliver dual-core, hyper-threaded server platforms earlier than expected

The new processors will help improve server responsiveness, speed and multi-tasking by allowing software to manage information from up to four "brains" per Intel processor. In addition, Intel has begun a broad evaluation program of thousands of dual-core platforms for software developers and enterprise customers.

"As they did with dual-core PC processors earlier this year, Intel engineers have executed exquisitely, and because of that we'll bring our dual-core Intel Xeon processor platforms to the marketplace well ahead of schedule," said Samir Al Schamma, General Manager Intel GCC.

Originally due in 2006, Intel plans to introduce the dual-core Intel Xeon processor MP, codenamed "Paxville," for servers with four or more processors later in 2005. Paxville will provide more than 60 percent better performance over previous generations and will use the Intel® E8500 chipset, which has been architected for dual-core performance and was introduced earlier this year.**

For dual processor servers, Intel plans to ship a premium dual-core Intel Xeon processor, codenamed "Paxville DP" in 2005. Paxville DP will deliver up to 50 percent improved performance over previous generations and will use the Intel E7520 chipset.***

Paxville DP is targeted at early adopters and evaluators of dual-core technology and is to be followed by a broader family of dual-core Intel Xeon processor-based platforms, codenamed "Bensley" for servers and "Glidewell" for workstations, in the first quarter of 2006. Bensley and Glidewell are targeted to complete an extremely aggressive transition to dual-core top to bottom in Intel's entire server and workstation line-up.

Both 64-bit Paxville and Paxville DP processors will utilize Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, allowing a single dual-core processor to run four threads simultaneously. The platforms will also include enhanced security features such as Execute Disable Bit and improved power management with Demand Based Switching.

Intel has 17 multi-core projects under development and expects more than 85 percent of its server volume exiting 2006 to be multi-core processors. In addition to the Intel Xeon processors due in 2005, Intel began shipping the dual-core Intel® Pentium® D processor for uni-processor servers in July 2005 and remains on track to begin shipping dual-core Intel® Itanium® processors by the end of the year.

Intel's evaluation program, which began today, will ultimately deliver thousands of dual-core platforms based on Intel Pentium D processors, Intel Xeon processors, Intel Xeon processors MP and Intel Itanium processors to early adopter customers and software developers through 2005 and into 2006.

IT evaluation cycles often take six to nine months, and evaluation systems are critical for IT managers to begin testing new technologies as early as possible. Having access to pre-production and production systems will allow IT managers to evaluate performance, test compatibility with in-house applications and determine future deployment plans.

To help software developers tune their applications to take full advantage of a multi-threaded processing environment, the evaluation systems also ship with a full suite of Intel® Software Development Products consisting of threading tools, compilers, performance analyzers and performance libraries.