Never fear, Intel hears your cries for extreme power. Intel is readying it’s launch of Nehalem-EX processors for this month. The new processors will boast 8-cores, 16 threads and support for up to 8 processor sockets on a single board.

The Intel announcement states:

• 45nm process
• 8-cores per CPU
• 16 threads per CPU
• Up to 8 sockets
• QPI Architecture with four links
• 24MB of shared cache
• Memory controller integration
• Turbo Boost Technology
• 9 times the memory bandwidth of current Xeon 7400’s
• 16 memory slots per physical processor
• 2.3 billion transistors

]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/techvirtuoso.com/p=1011 0 http://techvirtuoso.com/2010/02/04/kvm-over-ip-coming-to-a-desktoplaptop-near-you/ http://techvirtuoso.com/2010/02/04/kvm-over-ip-coming-to-a-desktoplaptop-near-you/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:58:01 +0000 Frank Owen http://techvirtuoso.com/?p=825

Today I saw a tweet from @DellServerGeek about a new technology that Intel has developed in partnership with RealVNC for the new Intel vPro 2010 series chips.  This amazing technology will allow IT Support to be able to connect to a machine, even when the machine can’t boot and resolve the users issue without the need for a technician to be sent out on site.  This KVM over IP technology has been around for some time in the server realm with DRAC cards from Dell or Lights-out boards from HP but I believe this is the first time it has been tried on Desktop/Laptop machines.

This new technology will not only allow the remote technician to take control of the machine but also will give the technician the option to turn the machine on or off remotely as well as rebooting the machine when it does not respond to keyboard or mouse gestures.  You can also use the IDE Redirection option to remotely boot to a cd or image.

Check out the RealVNC site for videos and more detailed information!

In V1 SP1, MED-V continues to employ Virtual PC 2007 as the virtualization engine but unlike the consumer “Windows XP Mode” it does not require hardware-assisted virtualization like Intel VT or an AMD-V to be present in the processor. This allows even those with lower end or older processors to take advantage of enterprise desktop virtualization.

Microsoft has put together a screencast demonstrating running a MED-V workspace using a V1 SP1 client in the Windows 7 environment.

“Staying connected on an increasingly broad array of mobile devices has become the most exciting and quickly evolving part of technology,” said Perlmutter. “Intel is delivering the total mobile experience on each device, offering different levels of performance and power in sleek form factors coupled with compatibility, a superior mobile Internet experience and embedded WiMAX wireless broadband. We’re truly taking mobility to the next level of cool.”

Moving on to the next generation of Intel mobile processors, codenamed “Arrandale,” Perlmutter discussed the integration of a dual-core CPU with graphics into the 32 nanometer manufacturing process, and incorporating advanced transistor components that would provide increased performance and power efficiency for mainstream mobile PC’s. Perlmutter said that production on the 32 nanometer process would continue building on these technologies, evolving in to the next processor, codenamed “Sandy Bridge.”

The upcoming option will enable them to simply enter a keystroke sequence on a failed computer – even if its operating system is down – to directly connect the system with technicians over the Internet via an encrypted connection. The Tech Support 360 technicians will then address the PC remotely, even when it has become inoperable due to problems such as hardware or operating system failure, or corruption by a virus or malware. This is made possible by the use of the Intel Remote PC Assist Technology (Intel RPAT), a feature of Intel’s vPro.

“As a result of the current economic conditions, small businesses are even more focused on controlling costs,” said David Tuhy, a general manager in the Intel Business Client Group. “AT&T’s Tech Support 360 in conjunction with Intel vPro technology opens the door for new managed services to address these concerns. By adding support for Intel Remote PC Assist Technology, AT&T will be able to deliver a higher level of service to customers by improving PC troubleshooting and reducing support costs using an encrypted connection over the Internet.”

Those interested can get more info about AT&T’s Tech Support 360 service via tech360.att.com.

While this news is positive, it doesn’t hold true across the board for the technology sector. Earlier this week Dell reported drops in quarterly sales and profits, but echoed the sentiments of competitor and world’s largest PC maker, Hewlett-Packard, that the technology markets seemed to be stabilizing.

With back-to-school sales and the upcoming holiday shopping season, Intel and the technology sector as a whole are hoping that the stabilizing markets will hold out and that changes in the economy as a whole won’t leave them with falling fourth quarter results, as they experienced in 2008, when Intel’s revenue dropped from $10.2 billion to $8.2 billion.

Of course the fourth quarter of 2008 didn’t have a major operating system release to throw into the mix. With the scheduled release of Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system in October, companies like Intel are hoping to boost sales. Some expect that corporate buyers may be holding out on new system purchases until manufacturers start shipping Windows 7 systems, rather than ordering Windows Vista or Windows XP systems. However, if recent economic trends are considered, it’s anyone’s guess as to how the fourth quarter of 2009 will play out for the technology sector.

Previously 10GbE adapters required the purchase of an additional SR adapter to function, the X520 is compatable with SR, LR or SFP+ direct attach cable all from the same card. This allows administrators to switch back and forth after purchase without buying all new cards, just new optics.

The card is based on the Intel 82599 10 Gigabit Ethernet Controller and also has backwards compatible support for 1GbE, which Intel claims is an industry first.