ARM Chips Now an Alternative Processor for HP Servers

The low-energy processing from the chip architecture of UK-based ARM is typically found on smartphones and mobile devices.  However, Hewlett-Packard has announced intentions of using the technology as a low-cost alternative in future production of its computer servers.

The British firm told the BBC that the deal between the companies is the “first step” towards increasing ARM’s presence in an area currently held by Intel’s X86-based processors.

There is some doubt, however, as to the overall level functionality that the chips, to be manufactured by Calxeda-based Texas, will or will not be able to perform.

The Energycore server-on-a-chip, the technology in question, would use substantially smaller amounts of energy to the likes of 1.5 watts – less than one tenth of the power used by today’s most “green” server processors.

The method to the madness, according to HP, is to enable more chips within a single enclosure through less heat output.  This would also decrease space demanded by present-day equipment by 94 percent.

HP was sure to add, however, that the chips would be used strictly as an alternative and NOT a replacement to the current Intel technology powering its machines.

HP UK’s chief technology officer for servers, storage and networking, David Calmers told the BBC, “There is always a trade off, you have less electrical draw but you have less processing power,” adding the ARM chips would be  used for delivering static web pages and similar tasks as opposed to heavier applications involving more extreme data processing.

Intel’s Atom processors are also being looked at as an energy-efficient alternative.

Some industry cynics are a bit concerned with the outlook of the venture, like Chris Green, principal technology analyst at Davies Murphy Group, who while speaking with the BBC commended HP’s efforts to break away “from the Intel monopoly,” however; cautioned, “But that is what the software is designed to run on.”

He added, “It’s all very well them rolling out an ARM-based chip, but the fact is that the technology isn’t necessarily going to be 100 percent compatible with all the software needed to run on it.”

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