Opteron

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The AMD Opteron (codenamed SledgeHammer during development) was the first of AMD's eighth-generation x86 processors based on the K8 or Hammer core, and the first processor to implement the AMD64 (formerly x86-64) instruction set architecture. It was released on April 22, 2003 and was intended to compete in the server market, particularly in the same segment as the Intel Xeon processor.

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[edit] Technical description

[edit] The two key capabilities

Feature-wise, Opteron combines two important capabilities in a single processor die:

  1. native execution of legacy x86 32-bit applications without speed penalties
  2. native execution of x86-64 64-bit applications (linear-addressing beyond 4 GB RAM)

The first capability is notable because at the time of Opteron's introduction, the only other 64-bit processor architecture marketed with 32-bit x86 compatibility (Intel's Itanium) ran x86 legacy-applications only with significant speed degradation. The second capability, by itself, is less noteworthy, as all major RISC players (SPARC, DEC, HP-PA, IBM Power, MIPS, etc.) have had 64-bit implementations for many years. In combining these two capabilities, however, the Opteron has earned recognition for its ability to run the vast installed base of x86 applications economically, while simultaneously offering an upgrade-path to 64-bit computing.

The Opteron processor possesses an integrated DDR SDRAM / DDR2 SDRAM(Socket F) memory controller. This both reduces the latency penalty for accessing the main RAM and eliminates the need for a separate northbridge chip.

[edit] Multi-processor features

In multi-processor systems (more than one Opteron on a single motherboard), the CPUs communicate using the Direct Connect Architecture over high-speed HyperTransport links. Each CPU can access the main memory of another processor, transparent to the programmer. The Opteron approach to multi-processing is not the same as standard symmetric multiprocessing as instead of having one bank of memory for all CPUs, each CPU has its own memory. The Opteron CPU directly supports up to an 8-way configuration, which can be found in mid-level servers. Enterprise-level servers use additional (and expensive) routing chips to support more than 8 CPUs per box.

In a variety of computing benchmarks, the Opteron architecture has demonstrated better multi-processor scaling than the Intel Xeon[citation needed]. This is primarily because adding an additional Opteron processor increases bandwidth, while that is not always the case for Xeon systems, and the fact that the Opterons use a switched fabric, rather than a shared bus. In particular, the Opteron's integrated memory controller, when using Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA), allows the CPU to access local RAM quickly. In contrast, multiprocessor Xeon system CPUs share only two common busses for both processor-processor and processor-memory communication. As the number of CPUs increases in a Xeon system, contention for the shared bus causes computing efficiency to drop.

[edit] Multi-core Opterons

In May of 2005, AMD introduced its first "Multi-Core" Opteron CPUs. At the present time, the term "Multi-Core" at AMD in practice means "dual-core"; each physical Opteron chip actually contains two separate processor cores. This effectively doubles the compute-power available to each motherboard processor socket. One socket can now deliver the performance of two processors, two sockets can deliver the performance of four processors, and so on. Since motherboard costs go up dramatically as the number of CPU sockets increases, multicore CPUs now allow much higher performing systems to be built with more affordable motherboards.

AMD's model number scheme has changed somewhat in light of its new multicore lineup. At the time of its introduction, AMD's fastest multicore Opteron was the model 875, with two cores running at 2.2 GHz each. AMD's fastest single-core Opteron at this time was the model 252, with one core running at 2.6 GHz. For multithreaded applications, the model 875 would be much faster than the model 252, but for single threaded applications the model 252 would perform faster.

Next-Generation AMD Opteron processors are offered in three series: the 1200 Series (up to 1P/2-core), the 2200 Series (up to 2P/4-core), and the 8200 Series (4P/8-core to 8P/16-core). The 1200 Series is built on AMD's new Socket AM2. The 2200 Series and 8200 Series are built on AMD's new Socket F (1207).

AMD is expected to launch quad core Opteron chips in mid-2007[1]. Based on a core design codenamed Barcelona, new power and thermal management techniques are planned for the chips. Existing dual core DDR2 based platforms will be upgradeable to quad core chips[2].

[edit] Socket 939

AMD has also released Socket 939 Opterons, reducing the cost of motherboards for low-end servers and workstations. Except for the fact they have 1MiB L2 Cache (versus 512KiB for the Athlon64) the Socket 939 Opterons are identical to the Toledo core Athlon 64s, but are run at lower clockspeeds than the cores are capable of, making them more stable. Since this means that they overclock very well, they were popular and in great demand.[citation needed]

[edit] Socket AM2

(needs updating-see Socket AM2) Socket AM2 Opterons are available for servers that will only have a single-chip setup. These chips may prove to be as successful as the previous generation socket 939 Opterons due to the Opteron's overclockability. Codenamed Santa Ana, dual core AM2 Opterons feature 2×1 MiB L2 cache, unlike the majority of their Athlon 64 X2 cousins which feature 2x512 KiB L2 cache.

[edit] Socket F (1207)

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Socket F is the new socket for the higher-end server-grade Opterons (codename Santa Rosa). Socket F has a 1207 pin layout, as opposed to AM2's 940 pin layout. Dual core Socket F Opterons directly compete with Intel's revamped Xeon processor series.

[edit] Models

First generation single-core Opterons follow the three-digit "Opteron xyy" model numbers and the newer generations (all dual cores) are four-digit in the form "Opteron xnyy".[3]

The first digit (the x) specifies the maximum number of CPUs on the target machine:

The n digit is the release number (omitted in first release). The major differences between release one and release two include different socket type (940 vs. F), single-core vs. dual core, quad-core upgradeability, support for DDR1 vs. DDR2 memory and for AMD Virtualization.

The last two digits in the model number (the yy) give an indication of the speed of the CPU. Values of yy numbered 60 or higher indicate dual-core models.[citation needed]

[edit] Opteron (130 nm SOI)

Single-core — SledgeHammer (1yy, 2yy, 8yy)

[edit] Opteron (90 nm SOI)

Single-core — Venus (1yy), Troy (2yy), Athens (8yy)
Dual-core — Denmark (1yy), Italy (2yy), Egypt (8yy)

[edit] 8th generation x86 competitors

[edit] Supercomputers

On the Nov 2006 TOP500 list, 22.6% of the worlds fastest known 500 supercomputer installations were AMD64 Opteron-based systems, while 21.6% were Intel EM64T Xeon-based.

Supercomputers based on Opteron mentioned in the top 10 fastest supercomputers in the world:

  • #2: Sandia National Laboratories. Machine: Cray Red Storm XT3. CPU: 26,544 Dual-Core Opteron (2.4 GHz). Rpeak: 101.4 TeraFlops.
  • #9: TSUBAME Grid Cluster, GSIC Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology. Machine: Sun Fire X4600 Cluster. CPU: 10,368 Opteron (2.4/2.6 GHz). Connection: Infiniband. Main Memory: 21248 GB, Rpeak: 47.38 TeraFlops.
  • #10: Jaguar - Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Cray XT3, 2.6 GHz 10,424 Dual Core Opteron.

[edit] Opteron without Optimized Power Management

AMD has released some Opteron processors without Optimized Power Management(OPM) support.Those are models which use DDR1 memory.The following table describes those processors lacking OPM.

Max P-State Min P-State Model Package-Socket Core # Manufacturing Process Part Number(OPN)
1400 MHz N/A 140 Socket 940 1 0.13 micron OSA140CEP5AT
1400 MHz N/A 240 Socket 940 1 0.13 micron OSA240CEP5AU
1400 MHz N/A 840 Socket 940 1 0.13 micron OSA840CEP5AV
1600 MHz N/A 142 Socket 940 1 0.13 micron OSA142CEP5AT
1600 MHz N/A 242 Socket 940 1 0.13 micron OSA242CEP5AU
1600 MHz N/A 842 Socket 940 1 0.13 micron OSA842CEP5AV
1600 MHz N/A 242 Socket 940 1 0.09 micron OSA242FAA5BL
1600 MHz N/A 842 Socket 940 1 0.09 micron OSA842FAA5BM
1600 MHz N/A 260 Socket 940 2 0.09 micron OSK260FAA6CB
1600 MHz N/A 860 Socket 940 2 0.09 micron OSK860FAA6CC

[edit] Opteron recall

AMD has recalled some E4 stepping-revision single-core Opteron processors, including x52 (2.6 GHz) and x54 (2.8 GHz) models which use DDR1 memory. The following table describes affected processors, as they are listed in AMD Opteron x52 and x54 Production Notice.[4]

Max P-State Uni-Processor Dual Processor Multi-Processor Package-Socket
2600 MHz 152 252 852 Socket 940
2800 MHz N/A 254 854 Socket 940
2600 MHz 152 N/A N/A Socket 939
2800 MHz 154 N/A N/A Socket 939

The affected processors may produce inconsistent results in the presence of three specific conditions occurring simultaneously:

  • The execution of floating point-intensive code sequences
  • Elevated processor temperatures
  • Elevated ambient temperatures

A software verification tool for identifying the AMD Opteron processors listed in the above table that may be affected under these specific conditions is available ONLY to AMD OEM partners. AMD will replace those processors at no charge.

[edit] Future

Current event marker This article contains information about a scheduled or expected future product.
It may contain preliminary or speculative information, and may not reflect the final version of the product.

The Opteron line is expected to continue to evolve as an implementation of the AMD K10 microarchitecture. New processors, launched in the third quarter of 2007, will support HyperTransport 3.0 and incorporate a variety of improvements, particularly in memory prefetching, speculative loads, SIMD execution and branch prediction, yielding an appreciable performance improvement over K8-based Opterons.[5] Processor model information has been reported as follows:[6]

K10 Opteron Models at launch
Model Clock rate Codename TDP
Opteron 1266 2.1 GHz Barcelona 95W
Opteron 1268SE 2.3 GHz Barcelona 120W
Opteron 1270SE 2.5 GHz Barcelona 120W

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ AMD Details Native Quad-core Design Features for Breakthrough Performance and Advanced Power Efficiencies. Retrieved on March 6, 2007.
  2. ^ Quad-Core Upgradeability. Retrieved on March 6, 2007.
  3. ^ AMD Opteron™ Processor FAQs. AMD. Retrieved on 16 March 2007.
  4. ^ Advanced Micro Devices (2006-04). AMD Opteron Processor Models x52 and x54 Production Notice. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-11-30.
  5. ^ Merritt, Rick. "AMD tips quad-core performance", EETimes.com. Retrieved on March 16, 2007.
  6. ^ Pullen, Dean. "Further AMD next-gen specs roll out", The Inquirer. Retrieved on March 16, 2007.

[edit] External links


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