Intel Updates Embedded Xeon With Nehalem Core

Intel has begun shipping its latest embedded Xeon processor, the C5500/C3500 series, designed for embedded systems in markets such as communications, networking, and data storage products.

Developed under the codename "Jasper Forest," the new line of Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) processors is derived from the "Nehalem" core technology and paired with a new chipset. The result is designed specifically to deliver increased computing density and integration.

Previously, Intel released an embedded Xeon series in 2007, which was based on the older Core 2 microarchitecture. Jasper Forest brings the on-die memory controller plus a few new features not in the Nehalem line.

This includes an integrated PCI Express (PCIe) bus with throughput rate of 1GB/sec. This makes it easier to add high-speed peripherals to the device and eliminates the need for a separate PCIe controller. The chip has a special direct memory access (DMA) technology to increase memory access performance as well.

Intel also put all input/output (I/O) and packet processing functions onto the chip, covering video, VoIP, network attached storage (NAS), storage area networks (SAN), and wireless radio network controllers.

This means that all of the development can be targeted at the Xeon instead of specialty chips.

"Now, instead of two or three development environments, customers only need to use one development environment and one engineering team to get all the performance out of a single processor instead of a couple of processors," Frank Schapfel, director of marketing in Intel's performance processor division, told InternetNews.com.

The integration of chip technologies into the Xeon C3500/C5500 means one less chip is needed in the device and the overall thermal envelope is lowered by 27 watts, Schapfel said. As with previous embedded Xeon processors, Intel offers a seven-year lifespan and support for customers.

The difference between the C3500 and C5500 is that the C5500 line is faster, runs in a higher thermal envelope, and in some cases supports Hyper-Threading (HT). The top-end EC5549 is an 85-watt chip with HT, while the top-end EC3539 is a 65-watt quad-core chip without HT support.

The C3500 line has the aforementioned quad-core model, a dual-core model with HT, and a single-core model that lacks HT but boasts a thermal design of just 23 watts.

Andy Patrizio is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of Internet.com, the network for technology professionals.