Six to 10 Cores in 2010 - AMD's New Server Processor Roadmap

Strider

AMD has dramatically revised its future road map for server processors, adding a new six-core processor and pushing out the arrival of a next-generation core well into the next decade.

Now that the company finally has the Barcelona mess in its rearview mirror, AMD has taken a hard look at its server plans. The chipmaker will extend the life of its current processor core technology through 2010, and has added a six-core processor code-named Istanbul for the second half of 2009.

A four-core and eight-core design code-named Montreal, on the road map as recently as last December , has disappeared entirely. It will be replaced by six-core and 12-core designs known as "Sao Paolo" and "Magny-Cours" (Formula 1 race venues), which are scheduled to arrive in the first half of 2010 and are based on the same underlying processor core technology as Barcelona, said Randy Allen, corporate vice president and head of AMD's server division. That means those chips will not use the "Bulldozer" core first introduced by AMD in July 2007.



But first, here’s AMD’s roadmap . t also has a handy breakdown.
Randy Allen, corporate vice president for AMD’s server and workstation group, updated the server roadmap to align with “end-customer priorities.” The key roadmap points:

• AMD () is skipping plans to deal with an eight-core chip. It’s going from six to 12 cores.
• “Shanghai” is on track for production in the second half of the year. This chip is AMD’s first 45 nanometer processor and will increase Level-3 cache from 2 MB to 6 MB.
• “Istanbul,” a six core processor, will come in the second half of 2009.
• Third generation Opetrons land in the first half of 2010.
• Six- and 12-core Opterons land in the first half of 2010. “Sao Paolo” will incorporate DDR3 memory, more HyperTransport 3.0 links and a 6-core design. “Magny Cours” will be the 12-core processor version.

These chips would apparently be manufactured under a new model for AMD. Ruiz is expected to detail the company’s asset smart model and talk about manufacturing partners. Here’s what JMP Securities analyst Krishna Shankar says:
AMD expects to announce in 2008 more details of its Asset-Smart strategy to reduce capital spending by partnering with a foundry or another semiconductor company. AMD indicated good progress in the Asset-

Quote:

Smart strategy development. It appears that the New York facility, where AMD has an option to build a next-generation 300mm fab with over $1 billion in tax rebates and subsidies from the NY state government, will figure prominently in AMD’s Asset-Smart strategy, with IBM being a logical potential partner given AMD’s participation in the IBM technology club, joint development over the last seven years, and proximity to IBM facilities in upstate NY. AMD also indicated that the Asset-Smart strategy would not violate the terms of the AMD/Intel cross-licensing agreement. The AMD/Intel cross-license is up for renewal in January 2010, and AMD management indicated that they have confidence in their growing IP portfolio and ability to renew the license.

Can AMD deliver on that roadmap and its manufacturing strategy? That question looms large. AMD can restructure, go asset light and do a bunch of things, but the largest item on its list is hitting its roadmap targets.
JP Morgan analyst Christopher Danely sums it up:

Quote:

Regardless of any changes in the corporate structure of AMD, we believe improved execution and management is key to stabilize AMD’s pricing and gain back market share in the microprocessor market. We do not currently see evidence that is happening.

The challenge for AMD: Don’t tell us what you’re going to do. Show us.



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