Intel clock blocks IBM, HP, Dell and Sun with Google win
Oh, and AMD
Super-secretive Google had its insides exposed this week by Intel's amateur blogger and server chief Pat Gelsinger. The executive claims that Intel's server division has won back Google's business from AMD. IBM, HP, Dell, Sun Microsystems and Rackable must find this revelation curious.
Intel's white box server business receives little attention. The chip maker crafts a few different types of systems and will ship them to interested parties. It tends, however, to avoid stealing significant sales from its largest customers.
On the Google front, Intel went out of its way to steal such business. It produced a bespoke server line full of low-power, low-cost components that matched Google's demanding specifications.
Intel's server gurus "have been maniacal as we designed a unique board for them, developing a unique memory module with them, working every angle of the cost equation and engaging with our sales teams to get the business," Gelsinger wrote on his internal Intel blog, according to one of CNET's few non-Second Life reports.
He claimed that Google used AMD's chips for the last four quarters – a slap to Intel, which has its CEO Paul Otellini sitting on Google's board. But now Google is back on board.
The search company-cum-ad broker places a great deal of emphasis on buying lower-cost, slower chips that consume less energy in the hopes of reducing its power bill and keeping servers up and running. Early on, Google bought its systems from service provider server all-star Rackable Systems. Then, Google started to design its own boxes in-house.
We find it hard to believe that Intel now supplies the majority of Google's systems, as Google workers have confessed to us that they still build their own servers in-house. Still, Gelsinger is a man of his word and obviously owns a healthy chunk of the Google operation.
IBM, HP, Dell and newcomer to the Intelside Sun can't be pleased about this turn of events. Any one of the companies would be thrilled to hand Google thousands and thousands of boards. But perhaps they weren't willing to do the custom work necessary to take the account.
Google itself can't be pleased about Gelsinger's internal blog making its way to the public. The company likes to keep everything except its colored balls secret.
Gelsinger is just an amateur blogger who is only testing out the prime-time globule market, and this might be part of the learning curve. His first public blogging experience came this week in the form of a comment posted on Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz's popular glob.
"At Sun there are engineers like we have at intel - engineers passionate about technology, engineers committed to doing great things for the enterprise of tomorrow," Gelsinger wrote. "I'm anxious for your first Xeon products to being shipping, for the full line up we discussed today to be broadly available, and anxious for even better solaris and java on Intel."
Notice that he didn't capitalize Solaris or Java.
Intel News Release
Intel and Google Join with Dell, EDS, EPA, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, PG&E, World Wildlife Fund and Others to Launch Climate Savers Computing InitiativeBroad effort organized to drive energy-efficient computing; goal to save $5.5 billion in energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons per year†MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 12, 2007 – Intel Corporation and Google* joined with Dell*, EDS*, the Environmental Protection Agency*, HP*, IBM*, Lenovo*, Microsoft*, Pacific Gas and Electric*, World Wildlife Fund*, and more than a dozen additional organizations today announcing their intent to form the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. The goal of the new broad-based environmental effort is to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting aggressive new targets for energy-efficient computers and components, and promoting the adoption of energy-efficient computers and power management tools worldwide. "Today, the average desktop PC wastes nearly half of its power, and the average server wastes one-third of its power," said Urs Holzle, senior vice president, Operations, Google Inc. "The Climate Savers Computing Initiative is setting a new 90 percent efficiency target for power supplies, which if achieved, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons per year -- and save more than $5.5 billion in energy costs. "We are asking businesses and individuals throughout the world to join with us to institute better power management of their computing equipment and purchase energy-efficient computers," Holzle added. Initial companies who intend to participate in the initiative represent both the demand and supply side of the computer industry, including computer manufacturers and chip makers, as well as environmental groups, energy companies, retailers, government agencies and more. The group will formalize its membership in coming weeks. "By 2010, the Climate Savers Computing Initiative will cut greenhouse gas emissions in an amount equal to removing more than 11 million cars from the road or shutting down 20 500-megawatt coal-fired power plants -- a significant step in reducing the emissions affecting our planet," said Pat Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group. "Computers have helped us make huge strides toward a more efficient world today, with reduced travel, more productivity, online transactions and more," Gelsinger added. "But with today's latest energy-efficient technologies, we can do even more. The commitment of the member companies that are here with us today is a firm statement to the collective resolve to make an enormous impact." Computer and computer component manufacturers who support the initiative are committed to building energy-efficient products that meet or surpass the EPA's Energy Star* guidelines. Businesses must also commit to requiring high efficiency systems for the majority of their corporate desktop PCs and volume server purchases, and to deploy and use power management tools on desktop PCs. Individual consumers can also support the Climate Savers Computing Initiative by signing up at www.climatesaverscomputing.org, where they will be able to pledge to purchase an initiative-certified system. The Web site will also help consumers learn how to take advantage of their existing computer's power-saving capabilities such as sleep and hibernate modes, which can reduce the amount of energy consumed by up to 60 percent. The Climate Savers Computing Initiative licensed its name from the World Wildlife Fund Climate Savers program, which involves several leading companies working to reduce their carbon footprint. "This is the first time our Climate Savers program has been applied to an entire sector, engaging manufacturers, retailers, and consumers," said John Donoghue, senior vice president for the WWF. "We are pleased to join these industry leaders to provide solutions to address climate change." The initiative's energy efficiency benchmarks will initially follow the EPA's Energy Star guidelines; but with increasing requirements during the next several years. For example, 2007 Energy Star specifications require that PC power supplies meet at least 80 percent minimum efficiency. The initiative would require a minimum of 90 percent by 2010. In addition, the initiative sets a higher efficiency target in the power supply for volume servers (1U and 2U single-socket and dual-socket systems): an increase from 85 percent to 92 percent efficiency by 2010. For a complete description of the requirements, see www.climatesaverscomputing.org. Initial Supporters About Intel About Google Inc. Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Climate Savers is a trademark or registered trademark of WWF used under license. * Other brands may be claimed as the property of others. †Based on IDC projections of desktop and server volumes between 2007 and 2011. Emissions savings in mid-2010, and savings are annual starting in 2010. |  |
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