Intel Corp has set up an Enterprise Technology Center in DuPont, Washington as a focal point for joint development work with its IA-64 server hardware OEMs. Intel says it needed an environment where collaboration over reusable core IA-64 technologies with its partners could take place. Initial work will focus on platform power and cooling, reliability, availability, scalability and I/O technologies. Groupe Bull’s server division, Data General Corp, Fujitsu Ltd, Hitachi America Ltd, ICL, NEC Corp, Sequent Computer Systems Inc, Siemens AG and Unisys Corp have all signed memorandums of understanding with Intel over participation. They will be able to work with Intel at the center, and also lease out private workspace for proprietary product development, using lab resource and Intel’s on-site technical support. Intel is working with Hitachi, NEC and Siemens on the 460-GX four-way server chipset to support Merced, although those companies also have their own proprietary chipsets under development to support high-end systems.
