AMD Outs Opteron 6200/4200 And Zurich Cloud Pipeline

AMD has revealed its latest Opteron processor line-up, offering up to 16 cores and 84-percent more performance than rival chips, while also previewing its 2012 compact server offerings for smaller, more energy-efficient data centers. The new AMD Opteron 6200 and 4200 Series have their focus resolutely set on new cloud implementations, demanding half the power per core of their predecessors and cutting price and space by a third.

Up to four memory channels – with support for up to 1600MHz memory – are on offer, with up to 12 DIMMs per CPU available for a somewhat ridiculous potential total of 384GB memory per processor catered for. AMD is also pretty keen to point out that the new Opterons are the only x86 chips to support ultra-low voltage 1.25v memory, adding to the platform's energy frugality.

"The AMD Opteron 3000 series offering is designed for hosting customers who require dedicated servers for their customers. These cloud and web hosting customers appreciate the cost savings associated with a lower cost infrastructure, yet still want to deploy a server-class product with reliability and security features and server OS certification" AMD

As for what's in the pipeline, first to market will be the Bulldozer-based "Zurich" using an AM3+ socket. Zurich will herald AMD's Opteron 3000 Series, targeting those looking for a compact server with cheap consumer-like sockets and will, the company believes, open up a new market of customers pairing cloud computing with the traditional benefits of a local server.

Zurich will arrive in the first half of 2012, while the new AMD Opteron chips are on sale now.