Why did Azul build its own microprocessor?
None of the traditional (off-the-shelf) microprocessors on the market offered the right combination of 64-bit performance, multi-chip SMP and system RAS features that Azul needed for its Compute Appliances. In addition, Azul needed an instruction set optimized for the company’s unique approach to virtual machine-based applications. Each Azul Vega ™ processor has 24 cores and is optimized specifically for virtual machine workloads. Azul can put up to 16 Vega processors (384 processor cores) and 256 GB of memory into an 11U compute appliance. In March 2006, Azul announced the imminent arrival of its second generation platform and the introduction of the company’s Vega 2 processor – a 48-core processor based on 90 nm lithography, consisting of 812 million transistors and the ability to scale up to 768-way with 768 GBytes of memory in a single SMP (symmetric multiprocessing) Compute Appliance. Vega 2 based systems will enter into market some time in 2007.
