Today Dell announced that they are starting a new program to enable the ARM-based server ecosystem and integrate more ARM-based application and solutions into their existing product line. The development will be made possible, in part, through a collaboration with Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), and will allow Dell to deliver ARM-based servers to hyper-scale customers.
The new program is in response to ever increasing customer demand for denser more energy-efficient data solutions. Dell has been experimenting with ARM-based solution for over two years and sees utility for them in front-end and Hadoop environments. The program will develop ARM-based software and verify findings through strategic partnerships with a small number of customers.
A key component of ARM-based solutions is that they allow individual manufacturers to personalize chip design. With the popularity of ARM will come the need for companies like Intel to adapt to stay relevant in their current position, supplying chips to manufacturers. The change obviously wont happen overnight, but it probably does cause chip manufacturers to take notice.
Forrest Norrod, vice president and general manager of Server Solutions at Dell comments on the ARM-based initiative:
“Dell has a long history of addressing customer needs by delivering relevant innovation across the server portfolio and within its Data Center Solutions business. Today Dell is delivering this same innovation focus to the ARM server market, working hand-in-hand with customers and the community to enable development and testing of workloads for leading-edge hyperscale environments. We recognize the market potential for ARM servers, and with our experience and understanding of the market, are enabling developers with the right systems and access for the current state of the ARM server market maturity.”
We’ll have to see what comes out of these new partnerships. It sounds like ARM-based technology is in huge demand. As we require big data centers to manage more and more information, efficiency and cost become larger issues. Small reductions in manufacturing and development can lead to big savings overall.