HP DL360 The Intel processor roadmap for industry-standard servers technology - Page 3

Intel processor sequences are intended to help developers select the best processor for a particular platform design. Intel offers three processor number sequences for server applications (see Table 1). Intel processor series numbers within a sequence (for example, 5100 series) help differentiate processor features such as number of cores, architecture, cache, power dissipation, and embedded Intel technologies. Table 1. Intel processor sequences Processor sequence Two-Core Intel® Xeon™ processor 3000 sequence Two-Core and Four-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 5000 sequence Two-Core, Four-Core, and Six-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 7000 sequence Platform Uni-processor servers Two-processor high-volume servers and workstations Enterprise servers with 4 to 32 processors Intel enhances the microarchitecture of a family of processors over time to improve performance and capability while maintaining compatibility with the processor architecture. One method to enhance the microarchitectures involves changing the silicon process technology. For example, Figure 2 shows that Intel enhanced NetBurst-based processors in 2004 by changing the manufacturing process from 130nm to 90nm silicon process technology. In the second half of 2006, Intel launched the Core® microarchitecture, which is the basis for the multi-core Xeon 5000 Sequence processors, including the first four-core Xeon processor (Clovertown). Beginning with the Penryn family of processors, Intel enhanced the performance and energy efficiency of Intel Core microarchitecture-based processors by switching from 65nm to 45nm Hi-k1 process technology with the hafnium-based high-K + metal gate transistor design. In 2009, Intel produced the first processors based on the "next generation" Nehalem microarchitecture. Figure 2. Intel microarchitecture introductions and associated silicon process technologies for industry-standard servers 1 Hi-k, or High-k, stands for high dielectric constant, a measure of how much charge a material can hold. For more information, refer to http://www.intel.com/technology/silicon/high- k.htm?iid=tech_arch_45nm+body_hik. 3