Intel launches the Atom S1200 processor series-- the first low-power 64-bit server-class system-on-chip (SoC) designed for high-density microserver use from the company.
This means Intel is now up and running against ARM, whose 64-bit multicore SoC designs are in use by the likes of AMD.
Code-named Centerton, Intel aims the processors at cloud or web-hosting services as well as customers using lower-end storage and networking systems.
The Atom S1200 series consists of 3 dual-core chips, each with 4 threads and Intel Hyper Threading technology-- the Atom S1260 (with 6.1W thermal design power (TDP), runs at 2GHz), Atom S1220 (8.1W TDP, 1.6GHz) and Atom 1260 (8.5W TDP, 1.6GHz).
All the processors are compatible with existing 64-bit software running on x86 architecture.
Intel says a number of vendors (including Dell, HP, Supermicro and Huawei) already use Atom S1200 SoCs in 20 low-power microservers, storage and networking systems.