Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[Elmer Phud]

sgolds -

Reliability testing - to some extent, it is a useful fiction. Useful in that different products tested with similar methodology can be compared with each other. A fiction because lab conditions, despite attempts to accelerate wear, do not come close to a good model of the outside world

The only real metric is Customer perception, however accelerating reliability problems by means of burnin correlates very well with early life failure. Test methods are constantly improving and long term reliability also correlates well with fault coverage. Humidity and temp cycling experiments are required for package qualification. Board testing and quality is a field I don't know so I won't go there but I would think that a server manufacturer can specify temperature and humidity requirements and hopefully minimize the use of salt...

Nevertheless, the process is not perfect nor would anybody be willing to pay for an absolute guarantee if one existed.

EP