In June of this year, chip supplier Cavium made its debut with the ThunderX system-on-chip (SoC) designed specifically for data center applications. Recently, the company announced that the ThunderX is now available for purchase, featuring the industry’s first 48-core ARMv8 processor. This marks a significant step forward in the evolution of ARM-based computing.
The ThunderX family includes four distinct products tailored for different use cases: ThunderX_CP for cloud computing workloads, ThunderX_ST for storage applications, ThunderX_NT for web services, and ThunderX_SC for security-focused computing. Each variant is built around the powerful 48-core SKUs, offering high performance and scalability.
According to Rishi Chugh, Director of Product Marketing at Cavium's Data Center Processor Group, the two-socket configurations of ThunderX are designed to include one 48-core component per socket, effectively delivering 96 cores in a single server. This architecture is optimized for high-performance computing environments.
The ThunderX platform supports up to 1TB of DDR4 memory running at 2400MHz in a two-socket setup. Additionally, the use of Cavium’s Consistent Processor Interconnect (CCPI) technology ensures full cache coherency across both sockets, enhancing performance and reliability.
From an operating system perspective, Cavium’s MontaVista division has optimized its Linux distribution for ThunderX. Other partners, including Canonical and Red Hat, are also actively developing Linux support for the platform, ensuring broad compatibility and ecosystem growth.
Beyond the SoC itself, Cavium introduced the ThunderX 2K reference platform, a two-socket design capable of housing up to four ThunderX chips. It supports 8-channel DDR4 memory and up to six 2.5-inch SSDs or three 3.5-inch HDDs. The platform also features 40 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ and 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ ports, making it ideal for high-speed networking applications.
For single-socket deployments, the Thunder 1K Server Reference Architecture is designed exclusively for the ThunderX SoC, providing a compact and efficient solution for specific workloads.
Gopal Hegde, Vice President and General Manager of Cavium’s Data Center Processor Group, emphasized that ThunderX represents the flagship of their ARMv8 multi-core processor family. He highlighted its comprehensive set of I/O groups and accelerators, calling it a disruptive technology that allows customers to deliver highly integrated, high-performance platforms to end users.
Looking back at the history of ARM in the server market, the early 2010s saw a surge of interest when companies like AMD, Calxeda, Marvell, Applied Micro, and Cavium all entered the space. Qualcomm even announced its entry into the server chip market, targeting the 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture. However, by 2013, the market faced challenges as Calxeda struggled and Intel’s Avoton chip emerged as a strong competitor.
The path for ARM in servers has not been easy, but the potential for success remains. As the saying goes, “The waves of the Yangtze River push forward, one wave after another.†While the road is filled with obstacles, the future may hold great promise for ARM in the data center world.
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