Monday, September 26, 2016 10:30:24 AM
=====================
[BK was very insistent during the Altera acquisition call saying that "our customers want us to do this" (i.e. offer FPGA capabilities). Now folks who have been concerned about this acquisition can start to rest easy :)]
=====================
FPGA chips aim to combine the performance advantage of hardware with the flexibility of software. They are integrated circuits that can be reconfigured by downloading a new hardware configuration after manufacture, hence "Field Programmable".
Initiated in 2010, Microsoft's Project Catapult is an effort to accelerate cloud computing through a network of FPGAs in the company's datacenters.
Now the company has announced what it says is the world's largest deployment of FPGAs. For three years or so, Microsoft has been including an Altera FPGA in every server it installs. Altera, a specialist FPGA vendor, was acquired by Intel in 2015. This FPGA network will be used to accelerate artificial intelligence services, among other things.
Microsoft says the current rollout is in 15 countries over five continents, though there is no detail available. Newer data centres, such as those recently opened in the UK, are likely to be suitably equipped.
“The really important thing is how we’ve architected the system,” Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Doug Burger told The Reg. “The FPGA sits directly between the server and the network, so all the traffic goes through. The CPU can also talk to it over PCIe, but the FPGAs can talk to one another over the network as well. So in some sense it’s a new kind of computer that’s been inserted into our cloud. That layer can do networking, it can do AI, it can do other things. It is a major architectural change."
The fact that all the network traffic goes through the FPGAs is what enables Microsoft to use the FPGAs somewhat independently of the servers, rather than always going via the host servers. At the same time, this design introduces new risks, since a bug or fault impacts the whole system. That, said Burger, has been the key challenge.
"You are putting an alien technology into a very mature system. All of the network traffic runs through this thing. You screw it up, you can do some real damage. You think about reliability at scale, failure diagnostics, health monitoring, debugging, version management, package management, all of that needs to be built into the platform. No one has gone large scale like this."
The benefit though is huge speed-up for certain specialist tasks. "When you have a successful FPGA deployment, the speed-ups you get tend to range between 10 and 1000 times. Usually it’s in the low 10s," said Burger.
Might Microsoft allow developers to upload their own FPGA images to run on Azure? "That is a potential business," says Burger. "We haven't announced any plans or schedule to do that."
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/26/microsoft_turns_to_fpgas_for_speedier_azure_services/
Recent INTC News
- Flapmax Expands Collaboration with Intel to Launch Quantum AI Challenge • PR Newswire (US) • 09/20/2024 04:12:00 PM
- Remark AI Successfully Optimized on Intel Architecture • PR Newswire (US) • 09/17/2024 01:00:00 PM
- Microsoft Boosts Share Buyback, Raises Dividends by 10%, Intel Secures Chip Deal with Amazon • IH Market News • 09/17/2024 10:40:35 AM
- Intel and AWS Expand Strategic Collaboration, Helping Advance U.S.-Based Chip Manufacturing • Business Wire • 09/16/2024 08:01:00 PM
- Intel Awarded up to $3B by the Biden-Harris Administration for Secure Enclave • Business Wire • 09/16/2024 06:02:00 PM
- Intel Secures $3.5 Billion Subsidy, Stellantis Backs EU Emissions Targets, BP and Apollo Reach $1 Billion Deal • IH Market News • 09/16/2024 10:03:27 AM
- Broadcom Down 10% Post-Earnings, UiPath Up 8%; Qualcomm Eyes Intel Assets; Salesforce Acquires Own Company • IH Market News • 09/06/2024 11:59:00 AM
- Qualcomm Develops Mixed Reality Glasses; Verizon to Boost Dividend, Eyes Acquisition; Samsonite Plans US Dual Listing • IH Market News • 09/05/2024 10:11:35 AM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/04/2024 11:38:13 PM
- U.S. Index Futures Fall Amid Market Volatility; Oil Prices Drop on Libya Dispute, Weak Global Demand • IH Market News • 09/04/2024 09:52:47 AM
- Nvidia Subpoenaed by DOJ, Athira Pharma Shares Plunge 71% After Study Fails, Zscaler Falls 15% Post-Earnings • IH Market News • 09/04/2024 09:50:25 AM
- New Core Ultra Processors Deliver Breakthrough Performance, Efficiency for the AI PC Age • Business Wire • 09/03/2024 04:00:00 PM
- Futures Pointing To Initial Pullback On Wall Street • IH Market News • 09/03/2024 01:10:07 PM
- U.S. Stocks Fluctuate Before Closing Sharply Higher • IH Market News • 08/30/2024 08:44:00 PM
- Intuitive Machines Soars 18% on NASA Contract, Intel Considers Splitting Operations, Dell Reassesses Selling SecureWorks • IH Market News • 08/30/2024 10:00:08 AM
- Big Lots Falls 27%, Considers Bankruptcy; DraftKings Acquires Simplebet, Berkshire Hits $1 Trillion • IH Market News • 08/29/2024 10:06:50 AM
- Nvidia Shares Fall Despite More Than Doubling Sales • IH Market News • 08/29/2024 08:36:37 AM
- High Volatility Expected in Nvidia Report, Ambarella Soars 20%, Hertz Strengthens Board, Apple Cuts Jobs • IH Market News • 08/28/2024 09:50:36 AM
- Form N-PX - Annual Report of proxy voting record of management investment companies • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 08/27/2024 07:47:19 PM
- IBM Closes China Research Division, Uber Fined $324M, Starliner to Return Without Astronauts • IH Market News • 08/26/2024 12:58:21 PM
- Cruise and Uber Join Forces for Robotaxis, Alibaba Shifts Primary Listing to Hong Kong, Altria Hikes Dividend 4.1% • IH Market News • 08/23/2024 12:20:26 PM
- Form 8-K - Current report • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 08/22/2024 08:24:22 PM
- Karma Automotive, California's First and Only Ultra-Luxury Automaker, Takes the Spotlight at Monterey Car Week with Three Milestone Announcements • PR Newswire (US) • 08/16/2024 05:15:00 PM
- Intel Recommends Stockholders Reject ‘Mini-Tender Offer’ by Tutanota LLC • Business Wire • 08/15/2024 08:30:00 PM
- Google Forced to Modify Play Store, Apple Innovates, Victoria’s Secret Hires CEO, Mars Buys Kellanova • IH Market News • 08/15/2024 10:05:46 AM
VHAI - Vocodia Partners with Leading Political Super PACs to Revolutionize Fundraising Efforts • VHAI • Sep 19, 2024 11:48 AM
Dear Cashmere Group Holding Co. AKA Swifty Global Signs Binding Letter of Intent to be Acquired by Signing Day Sports • DRCR • Sep 19, 2024 10:26 AM
HealthLynked Launches Virtual Urgent Care Through Partnership with Lyric Health. • HLYK • Sep 19, 2024 8:00 AM
Element79 Gold Corp. Appoints Kevin Arias as Advisor to the Board of Directors, Strengthening Strategic Leadership • ELMGF • Sep 18, 2024 10:29 AM
Mawson Finland Limited Further Expands the Known Mineralized Zones at Rajapalot: Palokas step-out drills 7 metres @ 9.1 g/t gold & 706 ppm cobalt • MFL • Sep 17, 2024 9:02 AM
PickleJar Announces Integration With OptCulture to Deliver Holistic Fan Experiences at Venue Point of Sale • PKLE • Sep 17, 2024 8:00 AM