X-bit labs

Virtualization, Security, Parallelism: Available in Windows Longhorn, - Intel.

Category: Other

by Anton Shilov

[ 09/08/2004 | 09:45 AM ]

Intel Corp. says its innovating silicon technologies that enable extended security, parallelism and reliability on mainstream personal computers will be enabled when the next breed of Windows code-named Longhorn is available on the market.

Intel already discussed its plans to enable extended security features, beyond today’s non-execute bit, code-named LaGrande. Previously it was anticipated that the technique was to be implemented into the currently shipping 90nm processors, such as Intel Pentium 4 “Prescott”, however, Intel officially did not confirm this during the launch of the chip.

Beside security capabilities the Santa Clara, California-based Intel has also been planning to enable advanced parallelism for personal computers in order to increase reliability and add new usage models for end-users. Vanderpool is a hardware tech that splits system into several virtual parts that work independently and use the same resources of the PC. Servers’ central processing units are also likely to get a virtualization tech: Intel calls it Silvervale, but does not reveal any differences compared to Vanderpool.

While both Vanderpool and LaGrande – VT and LT – are said to be hardware technologies, Intel Corp. said at IDF that both will require support from operating system. Currently Intel targets to enable VT and LT when Microsoft release its Longhorn that is slated to come in 2006 or 2007.

By the time Vanderpool and LaGrande are available Intel is likely to transit a substantial part of its high-performance desktop, workstation and possibly mobile processors to dual-core architecture, which is likely to substantially improve performance of microprocessors compared to today’s chips.