Articles – Page 66

September 1, 2021

Data center architecture must change because the applications running in data centers have changed. Several factors are forcing these architectural changes, including some key trends:

The migration from monolithic applications running on single CPUs to distributed applications running on multiple virtual machines (VMs) using containers and microservices.
The migration from single-owner enterprise data centers to data centers owned and operated by cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, IBM, Dell, HP Enterprise (HPE), etc.</ … Read More → "Ooh, Ooh that Smell! Can Intel’s IPUs Clean up the Cloud Data Center Mess?"

Just Call Me an Indexing Fool

by Max Maxfield

August 31, 2021

I love words. I wish I knew more of them. I like to believe that I have a reasonably extensive vocabulary at my disposal, but I also recognize that I know only a subset of all the words that are out there. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that new words are popping up like mushrooms, while the meaning of existing words can evolve over time.

There are many different aspects to words, including the way in which we write them down. As I mentioned in my recent column — </ … Read More → "Just Call Me an Indexing Fool"

The Bad Guys are Winning in Cyberspace. Here’s One Way to Beat Them

Can a Small Networking Box From a Tech Company in St. Louis Really Provide an Answer?

by Steven Leibson

August 30, 2021

The news is grim. The number of cyberhack attacks and database breaches mounts with each passing week. It’s costing companies and people some big money and a lot of pain. Here are some scary stats from a recent Intel White Paper titled “Intel Agilex FPGAs target IPUs, SmartNICs, and 5G Networks”:¹

“CSO, an online publication for chief security officers, recently estimated that about 3.5 billion people saw their personal data stolen in just the top two of the fifteen biggest breaches during the 21^st century. These breaches involved databases at some of the … Read More → "The Bad Guys are Winning in Cyberspace. Here’s One Way to Beat Them"

Will Intel’s New Architectural Advances Define the Next Decade of Computing?

by Max Maxfield

August 26, 2021

A few days ago at the time of this writing, the crème de la crème of the world’s technical press were welcomed to an invitation-only virtual event that many people would have given their eye teeth to experience — Intel’s Architecture Day 2021.

Due to some strange oversight on somebody’s part (or possibly because I have friends in low places), I was summoned to join these distinguished journalists and attend this august occasion (my mother is so proud — she will be “dining out” at the hairdressers for weeks on this, regaling her friends with … Read More → "Will Intel’s New Architectural Advances Define the Next Decade of Computing?"

You Must Remember This: A Bit is Just a Bit, A Byte is Just a Byte – Part 2

New Memory Choices in the FPGA Memory Hierarchy

by Steven Leibson

August 25, 2021

Part 1 of this article discussed the similarities and differences between the well-known processor memory hierarchy and the FPGA memory hierarchy. Although similar, the FPGA memory hierarchy lacks the multiple cache levels now common in microprocessor design. Similarly, the processor hierarchy lacks some of the more specialized memory structures and interfaces developed to satisfy an FPGA’s unique memory needs. Part 2 discusses these specialized FPGA memories.

About a quarter of a century ago, the FPGA vendors started to add larger … Read More → "You Must Remember This: A Bit is Just a Bit, A Byte is Just a Byte – Part 2"

You Must Remember This: A Bit is Just a Bit, A Byte is Just a Byte – Part 1

How does the FPGA Memory Hierarchy Differ from the Processor Memory Hierarchy?

by Steven Leibson

August 23, 2021

One simplistic way to think about FPGA anatomy is to split everything inside of the FPGA into two categories: resources that do stuff (process bits) and resources that remember stuff (store bits). The resources that do stuff include the programmable logic, the DSP slices, embedded math blocks, and even the serial transceiver ports. The resources that store stuff include the flip-flops embedded in the programmable logic blocks, LUT RAM, big and little embedded SRAM blocks, and on-chip HBM DRAM. There’s also the special case of the extra memory chips you attach to the FPGA, which … Read More → "You Must Remember This: A Bit is Just a Bit, A Byte is Just a Byte – Part 1"

Using USB4? Require ReTiming? Kandou Can-Do!

by Max Maxfield

August 19, 2021

OMG! I only just got used to the idea of USB 3.0, 3.1, and 3.2, and now I find that something called USB4 is barreling our way like a runaway freight train. USB4 supports signals with such high speeds that they need a special form of conditioning called ReTiming. Fortunately, the folks at Kandou have us covered.

Sometimes I like to play a little game in which I do my best to delude myself that I have a clue … Read More → "Using USB4? Require ReTiming? Kandou Can-Do!"

Is a $6.99, Tilswall 6000-count Multimeter from Amazon a Tool or a Toy?

I Bought a Multimeter for Less Than a Burger King Whopper Meal for Two Deal

by Steven Leibson

August 18, 2021

For someone who really believes in using quality tools, I buy far too many cheap ones. Case in point: I just bought a 6000-count Tilswall FY8233X multimeter from Amazon for the amazingly low price of $6.99. That’s right, I bought a multimeter with test leads, a carrying case, and batteries for less than the cost of a Burger King Whopper Meal Combo for two deal. Unlike the Whopper Meals, the multimeter has a 90-day replacement warranty.

It’s not like I needed another multimeter. My old standby is a … Read More → "Is a $6.99, Tilswall 6000-count Multimeter from Amazon a Tool or a Toy?"

Intel’s Blue Genie Pat Gelsinger Wants to Bring Andy Grove’s Spirit Back from the Dead

Can He Do That?

by Steven Leibson

August 16, 2021

Pat Gelsinger officially became the new Intel CEO on February 15, 2021. He arrives at a time when Intel is facing numerous monumental challenges from multiple competitors in several markets. The world is watching to see how Gelsinger plans to guide Intel, and he’s been very direct about his plans, saying that he intends to bring “Grovian Culture” back to Intel. That’s a reference to Intel’s former CEO Andy Grove, who led Intel to great technical and business achievements over more than three decades. There’s a lot of meaning and Intel history packed into … Read More → "Intel’s Blue Genie Pat Gelsinger Wants to Bring Andy Grove’s Spirit Back from the Dead"

Is It Embedded ReRAM’s Time to Shine?

by Max Maxfield

August 12, 2021

I was just chatting with the chaps and chapesses at Weebit Nano regarding their embedded ReRAM (resistive random-access memory) technology, which may be poised to leap onto the center of the NVM (non-volatile memory) stage accompanied by a frenzied fanfare of flügelhorns. … Read More →