Re: [cobalt-users] CPU on new Cobalt server

["Zeffie" <cobaltlist@xxxxxxxx>]

> According to a TechWeb article the new cobalt microserver will use
> AMD's Athlon (1.2 GHz) processor.

It say "Sun's Cobalt may launch AMD's Athlon into server market"
Note the use of the word "may"

> Source:
> http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/OEG20010112S0082
>
> Unfortunately, the new cobalt server will not be a multiprocessor
> machine, since the AMD-760MP chipset is not yet available
> (release according to AMD: 2nd quarter 2001). Also note, that it
> will only run with PC2100 or PC1600 DDR memory.
>  Thomas

"Some of Sun's other chip suppliers this week said the new Cobalt front-end
server will use Athlon, which would mark the first server design win for
AMD's top-of-the-line processor. Neither Sun, Mountain View, Calif., nor
AMD, Sunnyvale, Calif., would comment, although a Sun spokeswoman said the
company will introduce the new Cobalt network server next week. "

Source:
http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/OEG20010112S0082

so nobody except "Some of Sun's other chip suppliers" have said anything?
Well what do they know anyway?  Most likely they know exactly what sun wants
them to know.

Keep in mind cobalt's cross platform history and the fact that they are
among the very few companies that has built and sold "Server Appliances" on
2 different platforms (Mips and i386).  At this time Cobalt has the  low end
1u server market at a processing speed that is not as fast as other
companies but offers "Ease of use" and a good price.  Other high end units
with faster speeds are well developed by other companies including sun.

    The Raq4 is the top of the low end server market.  If it was faster it
would be in a different market.  It could only be on even ground in the now
swamped high speed i386 cpu server market!  Excluding software of course.

They might enter the i386 market but I tend to doubt it.  To bring another
fast i386 based processor to the table to compete with everybody that is in
the 1u server/box market?  I don't think so.

My Prediction:

    I think Sun will take advantage of Cobalt's certain ability to build a
Sun processor into a 1u frame and make it run linux.  what everybody wants.
Suns Cpu and Cobalt Linux will stand out  as a low priced entry system into
the powerful Sun world and will stand out from the crowd of high speed i386
servers for a similar price.

Zeffie
1-14-01@1:55pm

BogoMips "We Don't need no stinking BogoMips"