'Bensley': Intel's long-lived Xeon server platform
SAN FRANCISCO--Intel's "Bensley" platform--a chipset and other technology used to build dual-processor servers--will last longer than the chipmaker originally disclosed.
Bensley arrived with two dual-core Xeon processors almost at the same time: the older-generation "Dempsey" and the higher-performance, more power-efficient "Woodcrest." Later this year, it will be upgraded with the quad-core "Clovertown," which is due to arrive in November.
But Kirk Skaugen, general manager of Intel's Server Platforms Group, said Wednesday at the Intel Developer Forum here that Bensley will house Clovertown's successors, too. Clovertown is built with a manufacturing process that can make circuitry features as small as 65 nanometers. But in 2007, Intel will begin moving to a 45-nanometer process, and both dual-core and quad-core processors will fit into Bensley, he said.
That means Bensley will live on through 2009, Skaugen said.
The 45-nanometer quad-core chip is called Harpertown, said Pat Gelsinger, general manger of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group. "When you put Harpertown into a Bensley, that's a great platform," Gelsinger told News.com.
Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank. 
