IBM slaps the CELL into mainframes
The same CELL chip on your favorite PlayStation 3 is now incorporated into powerful mainframe machines by IBM, catering to online game service and massive virtual worlds. Jointly developed by the STI alliance (a union of Sony, Toshiba and IBM), is considered in the computer industry as one of the most powerful multipurpose chips available.
The CELL BE, also known as a “supercomputer on a chip,” is a processor with one main CPU, aided by seven other processing entities that can be dedicated to a certain task.
Some analysts have even said that the CELL processor could also be incorporated into certain household appliances. The CELL processor, however, has currently been severely limited to the Sony next-gen console and other specialized hardware, mainly because its architecture is different. The CELL Broadband Engine may be best known for bringing unparalleled performance on the PlayStation 3 console, but it is also employed for various medical and military uses.
Analysts said that the move by IBM to incorporate multiple CELL processors into mainframes, transforming them into powerful, multi-tasking online gaming servers and powerful corporate backbones, could bolster the idea of using the CELL chip in many other platforms to take advantage of its broad range of capabilities. Charles King from Pund-IT Research said, “It opens up some new potential frontiers.”
The same CELL chip on your favorite PlayStation 3 is now incorporated into powerful mainframe machines by IBM, catering to online game service and massive virtual worlds. Jointly developed by the STI alliance (a union of Sony, Toshiba and IBM), is considered in the computer industry as one of the most powerful multipurpose chips available.
The CELL BE, also known as a “supercomputer on a chip,” is a processor with one main CPU, aided by seven other processing entities that can be dedicated to a certain task.
Some analysts have even said that the CELL processor could also be incorporated into certain household appliances. The CELL processor, however, has currently been severely limited to the Sony next-gen console and other specialized hardware, mainly because its architecture is different. The CELL Broadband Engine may be best known for bringing unparalleled performance on the PlayStation 3 console, but it is also employed for various medical and military uses.
Analysts said that the move by IBM to incorporate multiple CELL processors into mainframes, transforming them into powerful, multi-tasking online gaming servers and powerful corporate backbones, could bolster the idea of using the CELL chip in many other platforms to take advantage of its broad range of capabilities. Charles King from Pund-IT Research said, “It opens up some new potential frontiers.”