[Arm-netbook] EOMA server standard

[Roman Mamedov]

On Tue, 23 Oct 2012 18:09:52 +0100
"luke.leighton" <luke.leighton at gmail.com> wrote:

> ok, right.  i've been talking to some companies and the need for a
> standard which covers data centres - e.g. has 10Gigabit Ethernet - has
> come up.
> 
> it turns out that 10GBase-T is 500mhz and 16-way PAM over each of the
> 2-twisted-pairs that go onto a standard RJ-45.  so, *fast*, but also
> staggeringly power-hungry.  this 10GBase-T PHY IC has one variant at
> 2.4 watts and another at 6 watts:
>    http://www.solarflare.com/Ethernet-Controllers-LOMs

I think it is a not a good decision to focus so much on 10 Gbit Ethernet and
allow all the problems with it affect your other decisions in design.

Even in datacenters it is most common to have 10 Gbit to a router/switch, and
from there, 1 Gbit to each of the actual servers.

As I understand, EOMA-based CPUs will have midrange-to-low performance
compared to traditional "stationary" (and actively cooled a lot) server CPUs,
which makes then need for full 10 Gbit to each of the cards even more doubtful.

Speaking specifically of ARM, currently the only way to beat x86 in the server
space is to go massively parallel (much more CPUs/cores or actual servers), so
if you will have a hundred of EOMA devices you will not need 10 Gbit to each
of them, as each does relatively little work/transfer; and even trying to have
that would be way too expensive from the "switch" side.

So I believe that with EOMA, "1 Gbit ought to be enough for anyone." :)


-- 
With respect,
Roman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Stallman had a printer,
with code he could not see.
So he began to tinker,
and set the software free."
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