Cell Architecture Debuts – End of the 80×86?

IBM announced the commercial release of their Cell microprocessor capable of simultaneously threading ten instructions unlike Intel’s Hyperthreading technology that emmulates a dual-mode SMP platform. According to the linked article, the chip has nearly twice the transistors of a P4 (235 million over 125 million) and can operate at clock speeds exceeding 4 ghz.

Are we ready for MPP for the desktop? Will the cell replace the reliable 80×86 product line? Massively Parallel Processed executions were something reserved for mainframes and supercomputers. Now we’re talking about a compartmentalized IC capable of running multiple protected instances of multiple o/s’ – Linux, Windows, Panther, one box, oh my.

But just how fast do we really need to word process or browse anyway? The article talks about the chip finding its way into game consoles and home appliances. Can you imagine, Jak III – massively parallel processed? Dynamic photo-realism must be right around the corner. I wonder how much heat that thing gives off?

Well the good news is that this may force a change in the technology sector and prompt migration and investment in the new technology, finally giving corporate IT departments a reason to upgrade. It may also drive innovation in the industry to release faster and more powerful platforms at lower prices.

The bad news is that corporations would have to invest in fewer computing platforms or could consolidate processing to save datacenter footprint costs or maintenance overheads. Maybe it would actually drive corporations to migrate their FORTRAN and COBOL applications from 45-year-old platforms to the new platform? Perhaps the need for cheap speed in that category of computing will force a revolution in software conversions and hardware deployments?

Who can say. I think I could wait on the supercomputer game console, though. It would be a shame if my PlayStation outpaced the MIPS we use to run a company.

Russell Mickler, CISSP MCSE

Principal, Mickler & Associates

www.micklerandassociates.com

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