Processor

What is Intel EM64T technology and the first processors that include it

 

Some time ago, AMD began to sell in large quantities its processors working at 64 bits. This offers many improvements, from increased RAM capacity to processing speed. Intel, if it did not want to be left behind, had to do the same, and, instead of creating a new line as AMD did, it has renewed the previous ones.

This is not entirely true, for now he has only improved the 3.6 Ghz Xeon, but he plans to continue with the Xeon MP, the Prescott and the Pentium M. That is, the entire range, from laptops to servers through domestic ones.

Well, we have said that it has not created new lines, but implemented the current ones. More specifically with EM64T technology. So, as appropriate, we are going to look at it a little more in depth.

EM64T stands for Extended Memory 64 Technology. Basically a series of instructions and registers that will allow the processor to work with a 64-bit.

Since the 8086, 16 bits, the general registers (GPR or General Purpose Registers) AX, BX, CX, DX, SI, RI, DI, and SP have been used, when the 32 bits were introduced the EAX were introduced, EBX, ECX, EDX, ERI, EDI and ESP, with this new series the step is repeated with the introduction of RAX, RBX, RCX, RDX, RSI, RRI, RDI and RSP. In addition to eight more also for general use, from the XMM8 to the XMM15, Intel achieves thanks to these that its processors handle and work without problem with the 64 bits that we all expected.

The instructions, which until now were called IA-32, become, in these new processors, IA-32e, thus containing a series of instructions that, obviously, we are not going to talk about here.

Within the IA-32e working mode there are two sub-modes. We could compare them to the compatibility of the AMD 64 with 32-bit programs, but it is not entirely the same.

If our processor is a Xeon with EM64T we may be working in 64-bit mode, whose addressing is 64-bit and the use of the 16 registers that we already mentioned is essential, or in compatibility mode, which on the contrary works with a 32 or 16 bit addressing and does not require all 16 registers.

These two modes allow us, after all, to work with 64, 32 and even 16 bits, something that is very important because we will not have to limit ourselves, now that 64-bit technology is beginning, to this, but we can continue using 32 and 16 bit programs.

As we will understand, this is a great advantage compared to those exclusively working on 64 bits, but not over AMD, which also offers this solution to its consumers from the beginning.

Therefore, we already know in general what the EM64T technology consists of, we are now going to see the first processors that include it.

They are the Intel Xeon at 3.6 Ghz, as we already said. We are going to start comparing them with the previous Xeons, and the first thing that strikes us is the transition from 130 nanometer technology to 90 nanometer technology. This is an evolution that has already occurred in the desktop and could not be postponed any longer. .

The L2 cache memory, which is the intermediate step between the RAM and the processing of the instructions, is now 1 MB, when before it was a quarter, 512 KB, although that if, level 3 cache is not included, which than in the others yes, up to 2 MB.

The speed is also higher than that of the other models, reaching 3.6 Ghz over the 3.2 of the previous ones. The front end bus (FSB) is the main means of communication for the processor, and it has gone from 400 or 533 Mhz to 800, a change that also occurred in the Pentium 4 and is now occurring in laptops.

Before moving on to a very important point, let’s remember that it includes Hyper-Threading technologies and SSE3 extensions.

The important point that we comment on is the chipset. A chipset always has to keep up with the processor, that is, when one of these two, the chipset or the processor, evolves, the other must also do so. And for these new processors the E7525 has been created, which will allow the new processors to work with the latest technologies.

For example, 400 Mhz DDR2 memory that allows a bandwidth of 6.4 GB / s or PCI Express with twice the speed of AGP 8x.

Before moving on to the next topic, also related to this processor, we have to say that the benchmarks show a clear and obvious improvement in data processing, but that until this technology reaches domestic lines such as Prescott or Pentium M, will continue to be the exclusivity of large companies for installation on their servers.

What is Intel EM64T technology and the first processors that include it, Image 2

Table of Contents

Computer makers rush

It could be said in a hurry, nobody wants to stay behind on this technology and everyone is presenting their products based on these processors.

MSI

It features two motherboards, the E7520 Master-S2M and the E7320 Master. Most of the features we already know because they depend on the chipset, but anyway we will say that in the first case the supported RAM is Dual DDR 333 with ECC support capable of reaching 32 GB. It includes one PCI-X 133, two 100, and one regular PCI. It also integrates a dual Gigabit Ethernet network card and a dual channel SCSI 320 Ultra controller.

What is Intel EM64T technology and the first processors that include it, Image 3

The second model also supports DDR 333 with ECC but its maximum is 24 GB. It only allows two PCI-X 66 and one normal PCI. It again includes the dual Gigabyt and support for sATA hard drives.

HP

The models to which it incorporates the new processors are various, all belonging to the ProLiant range and with the possibility of choosing between Windows and Linux.

The servers in this dream; DL380 G4, DL360 G4, ML370 G4, ML350 G4 and BL20p G3.

We are not going to talk about these servers themselves because it would take us a long time and they really only include the new processor.

Dell

Precision 370 is the name given to the new Dell model. Again DDR2 ECC RAM with sATA and PCI Express 16x. Supports Raid 0 and Raid.

It is again an expensive computer and, as we said when we finished talking about the processor, intended for companies and servers. Remember that the ECC makes memory significantly more expensive and is only used for very important computers.

IBM

He decides that adding models or updating them is not enough and presents a new line, the eServer xSeries. These now have not just 4 memory slots, but 8, and they support Raid. All servers also have remote management systems.

Also, as a novelty, they include a luminous diagnostic panel that will help the user to know what the problem is without having to open the computer, detecting failures in processors, hard drives, power supplies or fans.

That important manufacturers make use of these processors comes to indicate their importance, let’s not think that it is one more processor, if not the first of many that will be arriving and competing with AMD in the field of 64 bits.

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