The Opteron processors continue to gain momentum even despite of the fact that they are not yet announced. After bunch of software companies, including Microsoft, and some server makers, including Sun Microsystems, expressed their commitments to AMD’s x86-64 server chip, our colleagues over The Inquirer web-site report that even Intel’s long-standing friend Supermicro will also offer Opteron-based boxes.

Here are the specs of Supermicro’s server boxes:

• For 2-, 4-, 8-way Opteron-based systems;
• 1U, 2U, 4U chassis;
• Up to 64GB of RAM (16x4GB modules);
• 6 PCI-X;
• Built-in Gigabit Ethernet by Broadcom;
• Onboard graphics;
• Optional onboard Adaptec SCSI;
• Remote monitoring;

Supermicro will also offer workstation platforms:

• 2 and 4 CPU models;
• Up to 24GB of RAM (6x4GB modules);
• AGP Pro 8x;
• Built-in Gigabit Ethernet by Broadcom;
• Optional SCSI or Serial ATA-150 adapters on board;
• ZCRaid compatible for either SCSI or Serial ATA-150  RAID;

With Supermicro, possibly Sun and a couple of other strong server solution providers onboard AMD Opteron processors will be rather successful, I believe.

By the way, the source also mentioned over here that mighty Serverworks, basically the one and only supplier of high-end core-logic sets for Xeon processors, was not encumbered by its historical partnership with Intel, but went off and did something wonderful, e.g. a chipset for Opteron.