I doubt many ppl even picked up on the LOTR connection there.. anywhos, Cray maker of all things SUPERCOMPUTING or at least the defacto name in the HPC market has embarked (again) on a relationship with Intel to bring companies and governments who want to unravel the fabric of time using simulations on systems that draw more power than the sun outputs in 0.0000000000000001 of a second can be seen as a sign of doom to AMD or in the least as in LOTR, it's not a good thing.. expect ogres and orcs aplenty...
Cray goes with Intel for HPC
AMD's position cloudy
By Andrew Thomas: Monday, 28 April 2008, 5:56 PM
SUPERCOMPUTER maker Cray has signed a multi-year deal with Intel to use its silicon in High Performance Computing (HPC) products. Details are sketchy, with a conference call scheduled for later today US time.
The two companies plan to explore future supercomputer component designs such as multi-core processing and advanced interconnects. As a result of the deal, Cray and Intel will develop a range of HPC systems and technologies over the 'next several years'. Xeon processors will be used initially, say the companies.
Cray currently uses AMD silicon in its XT3, XT4 and XT5 ranges. An unnamed Intel source said he believed AMD would still play a part in Cray's future plans, but could not elaborate further. Whatever the outcome, it can only be seen as a significant kick in the teeth for troubled AMD.
Pat Gelsinger reckoned Cray's commitment to Intel a "testament" to "the strength of our hardware and software roadmap and many-core research."
"Together we will enable fundamental and historical problems of science and industry to be solved," he burbled, according to a premature Intel emission.
