At Embedded World today, AMD (NYSE: AMD) announced a substantial line up of new products and tools for embedded customers. These offerings span products, software, design, and sales support and include immediate availability of three new low-power processors for the AMD Embedded G-Series platform, as well as the new Systems and Technology track for the AMD Fusion Partner Program that is aimed at embedded solutions providers.
New AMD Embedded G-Series Platform Products
Today's addition of new CPUs for the AMD Embedded G-Series platform allows deeply embedded or "headless" systems, which are used in environments without a screen, monitor, or input device and don't require a graphics solution, to take advantage of the new "Bobcat" CPU core. These new processors are available in 5W and 18W power bands and provide a set of advanced computational features not available in competitive x86 solutions, including out-of-order execution, a high-performance floating point unit, across-the-board 64-bit capability, and multi-core options.
"We know that the ground-breaking AMD Embedded G-Series APUs address a significant trend toward a high-performance visual component in many embedded systems, but there also remains a core market that can benefit from a stand-alone "Bobcat"-based CPU and we are responding to that need," said Buddy Broeker, director, Embedded Solutions, AMD. "It's critical that we support our embedded customers not only with a wide selection of the best possible x86 platform solutions, but with the entire ecosystem they need to design and develop highly differentiated embedded systems. Thus the AMD Fusion Partner Program, as well as our coreboot support and new storage system RDK are significant developments in providing comprehensive embedded solutions."
AMD Fusion Partner Program
The new Systems and Technology track for the AMD Fusion Partner Program offers embedded solutions providers personalized incentives and tools, training and technical enablement resources that align with their individual business objectives. The program is designed to help quicken the pace of embedded systems development and sales, especially when selling all-AMD embedded solutions.
"Success in today's embedded market relies on more than just quality products and solutions. It takes an entire ecosystem comprised of design support, software development, and sales and marketing partnerships to truly succeed," said David Kenyon, corporate vice president, Worldwide Channel Marketing, AMD. "Today marks a major turning point for AMD's Embedded Solutions business, and our embedded solutions partners. By extending the AMD Fusion Partner Program to our embedded partners, we're offering the tools, training and technical resources to help them succeed in the today's competitive marketplace."
Reference Design Support for Storage Systems
In the area of design support, AMD Embedded Solutions has developed a comprehensive Reference Design Kit (RDK) to help reduce design and development time of storage and media servers aimed at small and medium businesses and home offices. The SMB/SOHO storage RDK has fully-tested schematics and layout source files that allow companies to focus precious engineering resources on creating differentiation for their customers. It supports the forthcoming Microsoft Windows® Small Business Server 2011, as well as Linux, and is based on AMD Turion(TM) II Neo and AMD Athlon(TM) II Neo processors with the AMD SR5650 chipset. The reference design features ECC memory, RAID, and up to four SATA drives for a system that allows easy access to and protection of business-critical data on the network.
"We welcome AMD's support for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials and their continued support of Windows Home Server," said Kevin Kean, General Manager, Microsoft Windows Server and Cloud Division. "AMD's platforms and design kits enable our mutual OEM and embedded partners to quickly develop SMB- and consumer-targeted Windows Server products."
Open Source Software Support
Demonstrating major support for the embedded software development community, AMD has released source code for coreboot, an open-source BIOS option that initializes hardware and boot logic for systems based on Microsoft Windows® and Linux and is especially relevant for the many embedded systems based on proprietary or non-traditional operating systems.
"The source code contribution for the AMD Embedded G-Series platform is a major milestone for the coreboot project," said Marc Jones, coreboot developer, Sage Electronic Engineering. "AMD has recognized the role of open source in a growing embedded market and is providing unprecedented support just weeks after the initial launch of their ground-breaking new APU."
Additional Resources
- AMD Worldwide Channel blog: Details on the new Fusion Partner Program for embedded customers
- AMD@Work/Embedded blog: Learn more about AMD's approach to the complete ecosystem
- AMD@Work/Embedded blog: Sage Electronic Engineering and AMD posts discuss coreboot
- Details on AMD in Industrial Control and Automation systems
- Details on AMD's new Reference Design Kit for SMB/Small Office/Home Office storage systems
New AMD Embedded G-Series Platform Products
Today's addition of new CPUs for the AMD Embedded G-Series platform allows deeply embedded or "headless" systems, which are used in environments without a screen, monitor, or input device and don't require a graphics solution, to take advantage of the new "Bobcat" CPU core. These new processors are available in 5W and 18W power bands and provide a set of advanced computational features not available in competitive x86 solutions, including out-of-order execution, a high-performance floating point unit, across-the-board 64-bit capability, and multi-core options.
"We know that the ground-breaking AMD Embedded G-Series APUs address a significant trend toward a high-performance visual component in many embedded systems, but there also remains a core market that can benefit from a stand-alone "Bobcat"-based CPU and we are responding to that need," said Buddy Broeker, director, Embedded Solutions, AMD. "It's critical that we support our embedded customers not only with a wide selection of the best possible x86 platform solutions, but with the entire ecosystem they need to design and develop highly differentiated embedded systems. Thus the AMD Fusion Partner Program, as well as our coreboot support and new storage system RDK are significant developments in providing comprehensive embedded solutions."
AMD Fusion Partner Program
The new Systems and Technology track for the AMD Fusion Partner Program offers embedded solutions providers personalized incentives and tools, training and technical enablement resources that align with their individual business objectives. The program is designed to help quicken the pace of embedded systems development and sales, especially when selling all-AMD embedded solutions.
"Success in today's embedded market relies on more than just quality products and solutions. It takes an entire ecosystem comprised of design support, software development, and sales and marketing partnerships to truly succeed," said David Kenyon, corporate vice president, Worldwide Channel Marketing, AMD. "Today marks a major turning point for AMD's Embedded Solutions business, and our embedded solutions partners. By extending the AMD Fusion Partner Program to our embedded partners, we're offering the tools, training and technical resources to help them succeed in the today's competitive marketplace."
Reference Design Support for Storage Systems
In the area of design support, AMD Embedded Solutions has developed a comprehensive Reference Design Kit (RDK) to help reduce design and development time of storage and media servers aimed at small and medium businesses and home offices. The SMB/SOHO storage RDK has fully-tested schematics and layout source files that allow companies to focus precious engineering resources on creating differentiation for their customers. It supports the forthcoming Microsoft Windows® Small Business Server 2011, as well as Linux, and is based on AMD Turion(TM) II Neo and AMD Athlon(TM) II Neo processors with the AMD SR5650 chipset. The reference design features ECC memory, RAID, and up to four SATA drives for a system that allows easy access to and protection of business-critical data on the network.
"We welcome AMD's support for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials and their continued support of Windows Home Server," said Kevin Kean, General Manager, Microsoft Windows Server and Cloud Division. "AMD's platforms and design kits enable our mutual OEM and embedded partners to quickly develop SMB- and consumer-targeted Windows Server products."
Open Source Software Support
Demonstrating major support for the embedded software development community, AMD has released source code for coreboot, an open-source BIOS option that initializes hardware and boot logic for systems based on Microsoft Windows® and Linux and is especially relevant for the many embedded systems based on proprietary or non-traditional operating systems.
"The source code contribution for the AMD Embedded G-Series platform is a major milestone for the coreboot project," said Marc Jones, coreboot developer, Sage Electronic Engineering. "AMD has recognized the role of open source in a growing embedded market and is providing unprecedented support just weeks after the initial launch of their ground-breaking new APU."
Additional Resources
- AMD Worldwide Channel blog: Details on the new Fusion Partner Program for embedded customers
- AMD@Work/Embedded blog: Learn more about AMD's approach to the complete ecosystem
- AMD@Work/Embedded blog: Sage Electronic Engineering and AMD posts discuss coreboot
- Details on AMD in Industrial Control and Automation systems
- Details on AMD's new Reference Design Kit for SMB/Small Office/Home Office storage systems
