Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Sun To Use AMD Mobile Processor In Blade Servers

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the who'da-thunk-it dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Looks like AMD is finally making some headway into supplying 1st tier business computer makers which the announcement that Sun will use their chips in upcoming blade servers. Apparently CNET can't help but speculate what this means for AMD's 64 bit Hammer."

4 of 245 comments (clear)

  1. Good news for Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Wow -- Sun is boosting Linux in a BIG way now. Although they have not said so, they are probably preparing for the day when Solaris will be phased out. It will be a gradual process of course, much like the way IBM is slowly depreciating AIX.

    This is VERY interesting news since at this moment Sun is holding their Chip Conference where the future of Sparc is being discussed.

  2. Re:But what about the end of Sun? by Amiga+Trombone · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, Cringely is entitled to his opinion, but I doubt Sun will be going anywhere for quite some time. I can see them getting replaced with x86 on the low end, but somehow I don't think x86 boxes will be replacing machines like the E10K or the E15K any time soon. But I can see where Sun will end up a smaller, humbler company as a result.

    Truthfully, I don't think this will do much for AMD one or the other. Sun is just marketing these things to prevent current customers from looking elsewhere. You can be pretty sure the main emphasis will still be on Sparc.

  3. Sun should buy AMD by puppetluva · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've had a number of discussions with folks about this over the last few years.

    1) Sun can still afford it.
    2) They gain instant credibility in the x86 market.
    3) AMD gains credibility in the enterprise (luring really big enterprise customers with real service)
    4) Sun gets 2 of the leading 64-bit processor platforms, plus some control over the Windows hardware platform.
    5) Sun gets to own their chip manufacturer (rather than rely on stinky TI and Fujitsu for the Sparc line).
    6) Sun can control the cost of its Linux platform.

    Do, it Sun. . . you know you want to. . . buy them.

  4. Re:Say Goodbye to 64 bit windows by bstadil · · Score: 5, Insightful
    As you might know there will be no support for x86-64 in the upcoming Windows Server 2003. This was made public here a few days ago.

    I find this real hard to understand from a strategic viewpoint. (Maybe they are just late and do not want to hold up 2003). If indeed they have been strongarm'ed (bad joke) or something by Intel. It seems to me they are forcing a Linux / Opteron attack precisely where they want to go themselves. The middle tier server market.

    With no immediate support from Windows what other choice is there for AMD than to embrace the only credible OS for their chip, Linux. They want to position Opteron against Xeon but the volume is not there initially so what else can they do than make special deals for Linux based servers. Now, this will hurt Dell as a Intel only supplier. Dell can not afford to loose momentum so either they have to get huge discounts from Intel, or embrace AMD. Either way it's bad long term for both Intel and Microsoft.

    Once the middle tier market is gone to linux, they can kiss .Net goodbye. Just look at the Webserver market. No "innovations" from MS, since forever. Why?, because of Apache. They can't find traction for an embrace and extend strategy with 26% share. Same for .Net once the middle tier market is gone.

    Not supporting AMD's x86-64 is like trying to corner an amimal thinking it wil not strike back. Strange.

    --
    Help fight continental drift.