The Linley Group Releases First Report on Server Market, Highlights Mega Data Centers and Cloud Computing as Market Game Changers

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 24, 2011) - Highlighting server commoditization as a key trend in the $8 billion merchant server processor market, The Linley Group announced today availability of its latest report, "A Guide to Server Processors, First Edition." The report discusses the emergence of mega data centers and cloud computing as market game changers that are dramatically impacting server economics and creating increased demand for open-source, distributed computing platforms. The Linley Group expects server-processor shipments to reach 20 million units in 2015, with growth driven principally by cloud-service providers.

"The market has begun to prioritize capital and operating costs over ultimate performance, with performance per watt and performance per dollar as the new metrics driving design decisions in large data centers," said Jag Bolaria, senior analyst at The Linley Group. "Physical density is also growing in importance, with new form factors from blade servers to microservers packing more nodes into precious rack space. We see these shifts presenting greater opportunities for new entrants in the processor market who can support open-source, distributed platforms."

According to the report, incumbent leaders Intel and AMD will continue to innovate and advance their x86 processor designs, with Intel maintaining its leadership position in performance and scalability. Meanwhile, the move toward open-source, distributed applications will create opportunities for cost and power optimized server platforms. This computing transition presents a market opening for new entrants such as ARM licensees, as well as an opportunity to increase market share for established vendors.

The report focuses on enterprise and cloud data-center applications, examining processor performance, integration, power dissipation, and overall system design. In-depth chapters analyze vendors and products, identifying strengths and weaknesses, while also presenting key details and roadmaps. Companies covered include: Intel, AMD, Tilera, Marvell, Calxeda, IBM, Oracle (Sun) and Fujitsu.

Availability

"A Guide to Server Processors, First Edition" is currently available directly from The Linley Group. For further details, including pricing and a list of included tables, visit the web site at http://www.linleygroup.com/report_detail.php?num=21

About The Linley Group

The Linley Group is the industry's leading source for independent technology analysis of semiconductors for networking, communications, mobile, and wireless applications. The company provides strategic consulting services, in-depth analytical reports, and Linley Tech events focused on advanced technology topics. The Linley Group is also the publisher of Microprocessor Report, the leading technical publication for unbiased analysis of high-performance processor technology. For insights on recent industry news, subscribe to the company's free email newsletters: "Linley Wire," "Linley on Mobile," and "Processor Watch" and follow us on Twitter @linleygroup.

Note to editors: To speak to an analyst from The Linley Group about this report, please contact: Erika Powelson, Powelson Communications, 831.424.1811 or email erika@powelsoninc.com.